Forbidden Desires
by iHeart1202
Summary: Elena Gilbert struggles to handle being soul guardian to her adolescent brother Jeremy, while discovering the true identity to who she is. There was only one thing her life wasn't expecting: Damon Salvatore. Her boss, and new-found infatuation. Will she be able to control her forbidden desires from surfacing? human/All rights/characters go to Vampire Diaries.
1. Chapter 1

**Forbidden Desires**

"At the sky fall when it crumbles. We will stand tall and face it all together, at Skyfall." ~Adele, Skyfall

The pain won't last.

That's what they had told her. The traces of memories she had left of others slurs and comments about her constant tragedy had always been met with the simple phrase: _time heals_.

If she heard that one more time she would lose it.

Elena knew deep down somewhere this might be true but the reality of her state of mind clung to the truth: _she was an orphan_.

Nothing and no one would ever understand that completely. They tried. Her friends Caroline and Bonnie were always ready to give her a daily dose of "hang in there!" And "don't give up." Although Elena knew their intentions were pure, her mind and heart still fought to give a damn about holding on to the hope of healing. That was how it was, and she was content to spend her days going through the motions and faking a smile. After all who would really know she cried every night? Who would question? Except maybe her brother Jeremy, but he'd been spiraling down of his own accord. Anyways, Elena was accepting it. Pushing forward.

Until him.

_Damon Salvatore._

Even his name was a warning sign. _Demon_. Elena didn't seem to care. He came blazing into her life one day with his raven black hair, and piercing blue eyes that saw right through her armor. She later found it was because he had a few secrets of his own. Secrets he'd keep from her until the very end. One thing was certain he was no stranger to loss. He'd lost his family too. Because of that he saw right through her. To her very core, and tore down all the walls shed built to shut out the world around her.

She'd met him in the most unlikely of places: her front porch.

Seeming to be delivering a message to her blundering brother about his non-existent shifts at The Grill, Damon, being the manager, had seemed to be fed up with his understaffed employees. Although Jeremy was a loner and a stoner he still seemed to be his best worker. So Damon had done the only likely thing to do in a small working class town, he made a house call.

Knocking on the door to the Gilbert house had been one of simple curiosity and motivation to find a way to get Jeremy back on his feet. While it helped Damon find his own sanity though a less hostile work environment. What he was not expecting was to see a half dressed, doe eyed, beautiful girl answering the door.

Half dressed was putting it bluntly. Her mid drift tank and sleeper short shorts left little to his active imagination. Damon found himself lost in looking at the beautiful creature in front of him. She seemed to be intrigued by him as well, although he was the stranger knocking on her door at 10 o'clock at night.

"Hey, I'm sorry I was looking for Jeremy Gilbert. I was told this was his residence?"

* * *

Elena fought for words taking in the beautiful stranger in front of her. She could've sworn a simple look from him made her mind stop completely. Elena was instantly attracted to him. His exterior seemed rock hard while his voice was a smooth as velvet. "Oh...yeah he's here hold on...Jer!" She cried out while turning and searching for something to cover up her jammies.

Great. Elena thought yelling for her brother a second time. Way to answer the door in your pajamas! GAHHH! Why had Caroline even asked her to come over for a sleepover? After all they were seniors now. Hadn't she grown out of this phase? If only she had. Then she wouldn't be answering the door in half naked apparel. She reached for her robe on the couch and covered up her slightly flushed olive skin. _That's better_, she thought, relieved to have something available.

Turning back towards the door she went to tell the man to come in. Yet somehow he had already made his way inside and closed the door.

"Oh I'm sorry." Elena said as she almost collided with him. Their eyes locked and she struggled to find words. "I can go tell my brother you're here Mr...?" She paused waiting for him to fill in the pause of silence surrounding them. She searched his deep blue eyes and waited to hear his name. The name she knew would change her forever.

"Salvatore. Damon Salvatore. I'm the manager over at The Grill. I just wanted to check on Jeremy since he's been missing so many days of work lately." He said sardonically his gaze holding fast onto her.

"Oh well it's very considerate of you to come all the way here Mr. Salvatore." She said letting his surname roll off her lips like butter. His insides clenched at her words. Jesus. This woman could make his day and nights better just by her voice. Something told him he wouldn't mind her company any night. Lost in her brown eyes...her smooth long brown hair through his fingers, and those legs that went on for days around his waist, her smoky voice screaming his name as he took her. He struggled to remember why he was here...

"Call me Damon." He said clearing his throat as he leaned towards her and asked," I'm sorry I don't believe you've told me who you are?" He stood looking her luscious and slender body up and down. How she could be both he'd never know.

_One word Salvatore: __**jail bait**_. His thoughts screamed at him. God she couldn't be more than 17. Him being a whopping 25 made him feel ancient compared to the innocent beauty before him. Although her beauty instantly reminded him of someone else, he chose to ignore it as he heard her explain herself.

"I'm sorry, I'm Elena. Jeremy's sister and newly soul guardian." Elena replied in a clipped tone.

Feeling out of the loop had never been a feeling Damon appreciated. Having just moved back into town a few months ago, he had not yet learned of all of his workers back-stories, especially the Gilbert's.

"Guardian? You can't be more than..." His voice drifted off as Elena crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"18. Yes. Our parents are no longer with us." Elena said, doing her best to fight the hole in her chest from swallowing her up.

Looking at the broken girl in front of him Damon suddenly felt a kinship with her. For it had been years but the loss of his family still weighed heavy on his mind and heart.

"I'm sorry for your loss Elena." Damon said, reaching out to brush back a strand of her long brown hair that had drifted in front of her eyes. His hand tucked the silky piece behind her ear lingering there for a moment. The second their skins touched both of them felt a pull like magnets, and Elena never wanted him to stop looking at her this way. Like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever beheld, and gazing upon her was his only way to breathe. She knew this because he did the same to her. Shocking her senses back into reality. Her heart seemed to be drumming louder by the second.

Suddenly they both drifted from their trance as Jeremy made his appearance at the bottom of the stairs.

"Mr. Salvatore what brings you to our house of horrors?" Jeremy said sarcastically.

Damon dropped his hand from Elena's hair as if it had burned him and put on his best professional voice. Turning to look at Jeremy he said,

"Jeremy," he spoke dismissing Elena from his field of vision so he could focus on why he was really there. She quietly slipped into the living room giving them time to discuss Jeremy's inability to call in. Elena sighed and grabbed a book, along with a throw, and sank into her favorite armchair. Hoping she appeared to be reading when in reality she couldn't stop her eyes from straying to the new man in front of her. She listened as he explained his reasoning for being there.

"I've been needing to speak with you regarding your position at the Grill. Right now we've been extremely understaffed. Personally I would fire your ass for your procrastinating ways and your inability to call in. However, you're the only one who knows how to coach the new employees. So I guess we're stuck with you until I can locate a replacement. So I'll need you to come in tomorrow."

"No can do pops. I'm fairly certain you're not that desperate. After all, Matt Donovan could always show up." Jeremy replied in apathy while tugging at the stair rail post next to him and avoiding all chances for eye contact.

"Matt had a family emergency. We could really use you. Come on don't be a dick." Damon let out losing his patients with this uncaring adolescent.

Damon continued lecturing Jeremy on his importance to care for the things in his life while Elena enjoyed the show from afar. Elena drank him in. Black shirt, and dark jeans: the fitted kind. She could practically see his six-pack through his button down shirt. To think all she would have to do to see them was tear open his shirt and run her hands over his perfect smooth skin...she couldn't help it. Mystic Falls had never seen the likes of him. Not in a million years.

Elena felt her mind wander to dark fantasies...all of them including him.

Images of his hands grasping her by her shoulders, and pulling them into a dark room. Whispers of gratification, and needing each other. Tangles of lips, limbs, and their bodies crying out in ecstasy as he thrusted into her again and again…

Elena suddenly slipped out of these thoughts when she saw Damon storming towards the front door.

"You know if you were half as good as your reputation you might be worth my time. I can see now you have other priorities involving lying around in your own personal cloud of smoke. You're fired!" He said opening the door, he grabbed the side and leaned back stating: "Let me know how _that_ works for you, and give me a call when you _man up_!" he said storming out while slamming the door behind him.

"Well fuck you too!" Jeremy yelled towards the very closed door.

The one Elena prayed was still open for him.

_Damon Salvatore._

**AN: (12/15)**

**Hello all I know this chapter looks familiar. Remember that this was my first fanfic so I'm just adjusting a couple of things such as the details of Damon's age, and some spelling/grammatical errors. I hope you still love the story as much as before! Thanks for reading!**

**for updates on new stories look for my twitter AmandaClouse1 or iHeart1202 ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

"You're completely off limits for more reasons than just one. But I can't stop." ~ Wonder, Lauren Aquilina

Ch.2

It had been so long since some one had cared. Cared enough to put Jeremy in his place. He knew it and so did she. They both continued to stare at the door in silence for a moment. Realizing that they both had missed it so much. It had been enough, enough to tip Elena's temper over the edge.

Jeremy was the first to break the silence.

"Elena, I'm done with this. I'll see you later." He said walking towards the door and reaching for the handle.

Elena's blood boiled at his apathetic nature. She knew what they had been though, but hadn't he forgotten she was here too? She stood up from her chair and stepped towards him.

"Don't you dare Jeremy Gilbert! You go back to that Grill and beg that man to take you back."

"I really don't think you get it. I DON'T GIVE A RAT'S ASS."

"Jer, I really don't think that's a good idea. We really need this money! God why have you been so spirally this week? Like you couldn't possibly care what happens to you or me."

"Oh spare me the lecture Elena. You're not Dad and even if you were I'd still go. So don't fucking follow me." He said pulling open the door, and slamming it behind him. Elena slumped back into the chair she had stood in front of feeling helpless. This is going to be impossible she thought.

Just then her phone buzzed to life with a text from Caroline:

Care: I'm on my way over bitch and I've got the goods! Get ready for a girls night!

Elena responded quickly, her fingers hovering over her smart phone with ease.

Lena: Hurry! Have I got someone to fill you in on ;)

Care: OOOH INTRIGUE ;) can't wait to hear all about it! Glad to see you're using smilies again!

Elena sighed...of course Caroline would say that. Although she wasn't the emoji queen she still pulled out the old smilies when she felt like it. She simply hadn't wanted to in quite some time. She smiled thinking to herself of who had been the reason for that change, and the one person who had made her smile for the first time in months.

_Damon._

He was mysterious, sexy as hell, completely 100% off limits, and she couldn't help but be drawn to him. Those piercing baby blues were enough to make you get lost in a daze for hours. Her pulse raced as she thought about what he could do to her in those few hours….

She obviously knew somewhere inside there was no way he was available, in more ways then one. He had to have been at least 5 year her senior, and on top of it her brother's boss. Which at the moment was the only job that was their main source of income. Elena sighed knowing that in a few months their inheritance would bottom out. Sure they had a house for now, but only because it was paid off, and left in the Gilbert name. With gears turning in her mind Elena got an idea. If Jeremy wasn't going to help out Damon, she would. Hopefully, in more ways than just one.

_24 hours earlier… _

Matt Donovan was pissed. This had to be the worst day of his entire existence. It all began with a phone call. "Hey Matty!" sang out the familiar tune of his mother and sister. "You'll never guess where we are!"

"At the store?" Matt asked groggily, waking up to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

"We're going to Bermuda Matty! We're at the airport right now." came his sister Vikki's voice. Matt stared in to the distance clutching the phone to his ear.

"How is that possible? I just saw you two last night for my shift at the Grill."

"Well, we met some real cuties and decided to go for it. I mean I just graduated…barely. And mom needed to get away so no big deal right?"

Right. Huge deal, since rent was due this week. He glanced at his emails noting the eviction notices, and the urgent reminders to pay for utilities.

"How are you affording this Vick?" Matt asked standing up from the bed, his anger seething in his veins.

"Mom of course!" stated Vikki without a care in the world.

"Oh we gotta go, we're boarding! Later." Matt heard a squeal of delight and then nothing. _What am I going to do? _His thoughts screamed.

Glancing at the clock on his nightstand.

_11:20_

It read, as he swore and grabbed his clothes. He was going to be late for work. Putting on his shirt and slacks he grabbed his phone and dialed. Holding his breath as he waited for one of his bosses to pick up. Luckily Damon did or he might have had a heart attack.

"Hello?" sang out Damon's voice. Matt was so relieved he'd gotten a hold of someone. Anyone who was sane would do.

"Hey boss. I'm coming in late, but I'll be right there!"

"Alright Donovan, but you better not stand me up like one of your prom dates." Replied Damon, attempting to be funny, when he was really dead serious. Jeremy hadn't shown up yet, surprise surprise, and Damon was in desperate need for some helpers on the Lunch rush.

He was getting sick of this. Even his most reliable workers like Matthew Donovan were coming in late. He was starting to think this job was a means to an end. I mean finding a job in this town was hard enough. Did this one really have to be this stressful? Hanging up with Matt, Damon stepped in for the third time this week waiting on tables. Not that he minded, he had bussed a few tables himself back in college at NYU. However, he did not expect this job to be so taxing, considering he was only doing it while he got his career off the ground in photography.

The rest of the day was a blur for Damon. Matt had come in and helped him host, wait tables, and serve. While there was no sign of Gilbert. Had he fallen off the face of the earth?! Attempting to call him was also out of the question, since they went straight to voicemail.

_Talk about being stood up_. Thought Damon as Matt waved at him while leaving for the night. They had just closed up at 10:00, hoping to save many from disappointment. After all if no one was going to show up to work, what use was it really to keep the doors open? His boss, Alaric Saltzman, had been on vacation and left him with the keys to the kingdom anyway. What did it matter really?

Damon locked up and fumed. He was going to find that little Gilbert and put some sense into him if it was the last thing he did. Looking up his information he began walking towards the white house on the corner block.

_His ass is grass_, thought Damon as he knocked on the door, and watched as his life began to change in an instant. Funny how all it took to change his day was a beautiful girl with deep brown eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm following the map that leads to you…there's nothing I can do…following…following." Maps, Maroon 5

Ch. 3

_Now..._

Damon stormed out of the Gilbert house with a rage he could barely recognize. The first question that rose to his mind as he walked towards the Grill was how Elena could be related to such a procrastinating dick, and how Jeremy had a sister that looked like _that._

Elena.

Even her name was sexy. Fitting, since he knew from now on he wouldn't be thinking of anyone else. The concept surprised him since his last relationship had ended in nothing but shattered souls, and heartbreak. Something told him whatever this new emotion was rising to the surface; it would be worth fighting for.

Damon reached the end of the street and dialed Alaric. Letting him know that they would now have even more of a job search than they had anticipated would put him in some serious shit, he knew. But there was no unearthly way they could depend on Jeremy Gilbert one more day.

This day had been hell, for the most part, and he was determined to never repeat it.

Although there were parts he would be reliving over and over tonight.

Elena's pajamas, her body, her deep brown eyes, and her silky brown hair that reached the end of her back. Damon found himself wondering how it would feel to have his fingers in her hair….her lips clinging to his…

_Stop it Damon…_he thought_. She's a teenager! For God's sakes she's barely out of Mystic Falls High. Illegal. Forbidden. But only for a couple of years…No!_

As the war raged on inside his mind he did his best to push it down for now.

Getting a hard on was out of the question especially while you called your boss. He made note of it to think about it later.

He dialed Rick and waited for him to pick up as he trudged further down the street. His feet were hitting the pavement to their own familiar beat, while the wind blew gently through the trees. Considering the hellish ordeal of the day the weather this summer was surprisingly pleasant. He loved the summertime, mostly because he felt he captured the most beautiful images throughout the duration of the season. True, winter, fall, and spring were also breath taking, but he couldn't help thinking of summers as new beginnings. What better way to show it than to capture it? He made a note to himself to get some more film as he listened to the phone ringing again and going to voicemail. He decided to leave a message. After all, he knew he would get yelled at either way.

"Hey Rick, so here's the deal. I sort of lost my temper today. Don't worry I didn't rip anyone's throat out…yet. But I did fire little Gilbert. So call me when you want to tear me a new one. Bye!" Damon hung up his phone and stowed it away in his back pocket.

Just then he felt a reassuring buzz in his pants. Damon smirked, and answered not even bothering to look at the caller. He'd just assumed that he'd hear Alaric's voice at the end of the line. Not giving Alaric the upper hand Damon began speaking into the phone first.

"Chill scardy cat I'm sure you'd love to rip me a new one but let me just explain…" Damon stated waiting to hear Alaric's rant through the phone.

Which is why he was surprised to hear a familiar husky voice in his ear once more that night.

"Damon?" Elena's voice came out in a questioning tone.

Damon stopped dead in his tracks, and tried to remember their encounter. _Had he given her his number? _He thought_, I don't recall…then how…?_

"Yes…?" he asked afraid to assume who was calling him. He glanced at his phone, and saw: Little Gilbert…connected. It had to be her! But why had she called?

His mind started to leap to dangerous, and lustful assumptions when she said. "Mr. Salvatore, this is Elena Gilbert. I wanted to apologize for Jeremy. He really is just going through a rough time. I know that isn't your problem, but I'm willing to offer up a solution to the one you seem to be in."

Damon was intrigued. "All right little lady, what can _you_ do for _me_?" he asked his voice sinking low. He knew he was being seductive, but he couldn't help it. This woman could make the Pope break his vows of celibacy.

"Since Jer…I mean Jeremy has been…um…" Elena dragged out her voice not sure of the professional way to put it. Damon embellished, "Fired. Pink slipped. We're going in a different direction, not picking up his options…take your pick I have more." Elena laughed into the phone remembering a childhood movie he seemed to be quoting.

"Wow I never expected that." She said, realizing that had been the first time she'd laughed since the accident. Truly laughed.

"Well I'm just full of surprises Ms. Gilbert."

"I'll bet you are," said Elena, her voice going husky again as she longed for him to be nearer to her.

Damon cleared his throat; this call was getting them nowhere. "Now you said something about a solution to my problem." And he did have problems today. One of which was the tightening of his jeans as he arrived at his car, a classic blue mustang that he called Old Faithful.

"Yes. If you really are as desperate as you say. I'll work for _you_…I mean for The Grill." She said assertively waiting impatiently for his response.

Damon opened the door to his car and climbed in digesting the offer. A minute later after starting his car he stated, "Wow that is really…sacrificial of you to do. Are you sure you'd be up to the task?" Damon asked hoping for the answer he silently wished for, and regretted at the same time. After all Elena was bound to be on the same shifts he was, and something, he was sure, was bound to happen.

"I've never been more certain in my life." Elena stated giving them both goose bumps with the sound of unspoken promises yet to come.

"Thank you for your offer, I'll run it by my boss in the morning. Goodnight Elena."

Damon croaked into the phone.

"Goodnight Damon…"

Elena hung up her phone as her door banged with the sound of Caroline finally arriving, while Damon drove off into the distance towards his house with the hope of brand new beginnings and a Cheshire cat smile on his face.

***Next Chapter will reveal a much needed girls night, and how Elena is truly feeling about Damon...**

**Oh my goodness you all are awesome! Thanks so much for the great reviews. This has been my first fanfic and I can't seem to stop writing it! Hoping you enjoy reading it as much as I do! ~iHeart1202**


	4. Chapter 4

"And I've tried to fight it, to fight it. But you're so magnetic, magnetic. Got one life, just live it, just live it. Now relax, and get on your back. If you wanna scream, yeah" ~Scream, Usher

Elena was in utter confusion the next morning. Perhaps it had been the tequila. It was definitely the tequila, and the wine. All her memories from the night before came flashing back as she lay in her bed with Caroline snoring next to her. The phone call with Damon still had her mind reeling. She couldn't believe she had offered to work in Jeremy's place. Somehow she knew this might be a bad idea, but her hormones didn't seem to care. Elena rose from the bed recalling her night with Caroline.

_8 hours earlier_

"Hey! Sorry I'm late but the guy I usually meet for our libations at The Grill wasn't there. Apparently they closed up early tonight." Caroline stated while making her way into Elena's kitchen. _Being 18 really is a bust_, thought Elena, _old enough to vote but not old enough to drink._ Elena dismissed the thought and focused on a night with her bestie. She had gotten used to the familiar buzz that was Caroline Forbes. Her long blonde hair, and fair features might cause others to assume she was just the girl next door. True, she was usually the voice of reason, but on days like this one, she was the life of the party.

Caroline unloaded the sacks of their "goodies" onto the counter top and went to on to confront Elena about the mystery boy she had just met.

"So…who's the guy? I'm dying to know! Is it Matt? Have you gone there again? Because I'm telling you that train has left the station." Caroline stated while putting most of the drinks into the freezer for a "flash freeze" as she called it. Elena grabbed for the wine before Caroline could put it into the freezer. Caroline gave her the _I was doing this for your own good _glare, but Elena dismissed it completely and replied, "Oh God no," blushing as she pulled out the bag of truffles from the sack in front of her and popped one into her mouth. "He's the new manager at the grill. His name is Damon Salvatore. God have you ever heard a name so sexy in all your life?" she said as her eyes rolled back into her head due to the infusion of melted chocolate and the images she concocted of Damon licking it off her body.

Caroline's questions snapped Elena back to reality.

"So where'd you meet him? Did he just transfer into Mystic Falls High? Because trust me, I would know if there was a new guy here." she probed, taking the bag of chips and dip into the living room. Elena followed her with arms full of chocolate and wine. They set the goodies on the coffee table in front of them as they both sunk into the brown leather couch enjoying their bounty.

"Well no…I met him here actually. Just tonight, and no he's definitely not in High School."

"Ooh older and more experienced...sexy. Wait did you just say a man you don't know came to your house in the middle of the night? What kind of sociopath is this guy?" Caroline asked smirking while popping a chip into her mouth.

"He's not a sociopath Caroline!" Elena stated while playfully hitting her with a pillow. Caroline faked being hurt, and the two girls started to giggle. Elena continued her explanation of the mysterious stranger; "He's the new manager at The Grill. Apparently Jeremy has been skipping shifts, and not calling in. So I'm guessing he came here to put an end to it." She said rolling her eyes at her brother's uncaring nature.

"Wait, stop the soul train. Jeremy's been doing what?" Caroline asked, with a mouth full of chips.

Elena forced back a laugh. Wow was she giddy tonight, but this was a serious matter. She continued to fill Caroline in on Jeremy being apathetic, and being fired.

"Oh no, what are you going to do Elena? Wasn't that like your only source of income at the moment? I knew you weren't working so you could try to finish your senior year, but doesn't he realize what will happen?" Caroline had known for months the situation Elena's parents had left her and her brother in. They had a house, and some inheritance to last them awhile but not forever.

"That's the problem Care. He knows he just won't face facts. Like he's determined to believe if he continues down this path Dad will have to come back to life just to kick his ass." Elena shrugged and grabbed the bottle of wine from the coffee table. She proceeded to pour herself a drink and sink back into the protective cushioning of her sofa.

"Anyways I have a plan. I just called him because you know Jeremy leaves his phone over here all the time. Although I think he was pleasantly surprised to hear from me but he seemed stressed you know? So I just offered to work for him in Jeremy's place." she stated leaving out all of the sexual innuendoes that had been stated between them.

"Do you really think that's a good idea Leena? I mean he is older, and you've got enough on your plate right now dealing with your parents death to worry about your reputation." Caroline stated taking the bottle of wine from Elena and pouring herself a drink as well.

"I know Care, but I just really like this guy. And we also really need the money. This money cushion we have isn't going to last us forever." Elena stated taking a long sip of her wine and feeling the hole in her chest proceed to open up again.

Sensing the tension in the room Caroline said,"Ok enough with the heavy stuff. Tell me about the guy. Was he completely hot?" Caroline asked, changing the subject to happier things.

"Panty dropping hot. Think Usher's song scream, and that's about where I am." Elena stated.

"Ushers song…what?"

"Oh come on you know that song Caroline!" Elena said while setting her glass down and heading into the kitchen for her phone. "Listen to this and you'll understand." She said while setting down her phone so they could listen. Somewhere during the song, both of them started to dance around Elena's house. As the song ended both girls found themselves upstairs in Elena's bed giggling.

"So like I said…panty dropping hot." Elena said fanning herself playfully, and grabbing for one of her pillows to hold.

"You don't have to tell me twice" Caroline said as she continued to grill Elena for specific details on pretty much everything that had happened. The rest of the night was a blur for Elena and Caroline. The night consisted of more drinks, food, and laughter. It was exactly the kind of night Elena had needed. Now, Elena headed for a shower, and some aspirin. Not necessarily in that order. She groaned as her head pounded and reached for her phone on the nightstand. Glancing at the screen she was alarmed to see a missed call from a number she didn't recognize, and a voicemail.

She opened the app and listened as a familiar husky voice filled her ears.

"Good morning sunshine," Damon's voice rang out, "I've made the boss aware of your proposal, and he said to officially offer you the job I need to conduct an interview. Lame, I know. However, I was hoping to see you in around noon? Let me know what works for you, _Elena_. My number is on the phone. Later." She heard the click and stared into her bathroom mirror. Interview for The Grill? She knew that's how it would have to go, but she didn't expect she would have to be interviewed by Mr. Handsome himself. She rushed through her shower, and threw on her bra and underwear. _Luckily Caroline is here,_ thought Elena, or _I'd never know what to wear_.

Caroline, sensing a fashion emergency rushed to the occasion, in spite of her hangover. Somewhere along the way they decided on a pencil skirt, a maroon blouse that tied up at the top like a halter, and a navy sweater to make Elena look less like a slut, and some modest pumps. Although something told her this interview wouldn't be like any she'd ever had.

***Ok I know I promised some steam and trust me its coming. I just had to throw in this chapter for some background info. Hope you like it! Interview smut coming your way! **

**Btw: I am compiling a list of songs I feel go to this story. If you have any suggestions please leave them in the review below!**

**Thanks for Reading/Reviews they're awesome!**


	5. Chapter 5

***UPDATED CHAPTER 12/15**

"I keep looping my memories of you in my head, I pretend that you want me." Can't Stop, Maroon 5

Ch. 5

Damon had woken up the next morning with the realization that he was smitten. He rose from his pleasure filled dreams of Elena with a smile on his face. He had been pleasantly surprised that his dreams had drifted to her instead of another woman of his past that resembled her. He still remained determined to push those disturbing thoughts aside. There was no way they could be related…

Anyways, nothing was going to ruin his good mood today. Except for a phone call he'd received from his good old friend and boss Alaric Saltzman.

"Damon, you better not have fucked this up more so than it already was!" Alaric's voice came blaring out of Damon's phone the second he pressed accept.

"Rick calm the fuck down ok, it for once, was not my fault!" Damon stressed back, hoping Alaric would let him explain.

"Jeremy hasn't come in for three days this week. The little bum blew us off, and I had to take over. Which, trust me is fine, but not the position I signed on for. Not to mention my BOSS is out of the fucking country! So excuse me for having to step up and deal with this."

"Well you probably should have handled it better, but I don't blame you." Came Alaric's voice from the other end, a little calmer this time. He sighed and replied,

"So what are we going to do Damon? I've literally no prospects to replace that boy."

Damon grinned and stated into the phone, "Oh but I do. I went over to the Gilbert's house last night and met Elena, Jeremy's sister. She's agreed to replace him."

Alaric paused digesting the new information, and tried to see this as a promising pursuit.

"Well who's going to train her Damon? Did you even think of that? Or were you too busy thinking about getting into her panties to notice."

"Hey low blow brother, and seriously I really just need someone to fill this slot." Damon said, leaving out the fact that Alaric had been spot on about Elena's panties.

"Fine Damon, just interview her first for the position. At least follow protocol, and don't interrupt my vacation again unless it's an emergency and The Grill is burning down."

"Agreed. Thank you Rick you won't regret this." Damon said beginning to smile.

"I'm beginning to think I will. Bye." Alaric stated and then silence filled Damon's ear.

The phone call had gone surprisingly well considering that Damon had yelled at his boss, but Alaric and him went way back to high school years together playing football, and video games with him and his brother Stefan during the Holidays. Thinking about his brother Stefan only reminded him that he was going to be here in a few hours. Stefan McGuire was his half brother. Having grown up together in the same place for only half of their lives, Stefan in Mystic Falls and Damon in New York, had been stressful to say the least. Their mother, Laura had been kind hearted and loving towards both of them. Even though their situations had always been strained due to divorce and strife. Damon sighed remembering her death. The stress had taken its toll on her life, and she had been diagnosed with cancer a few years ago. It had been Damon's first year at NYU, and one he would not soon forget. Having delegated his studies long enough, Damon had traveled before he'd decided to settle down to college and had realized his dreams of becoming a photographer. Waiting until he was 21 to start college, she'd always believed in him even when others doubted him. Ultimately her illness only emphasized her willingness to have Damon become what he loved. She drove him to continue his dreams and fully funded his efforts. In the end her will had not been enough, and she passed with her unfailing faith. The tragedy had bonded the brothers in grief, but had not stopped them from leading their own individual lives.

Damon stepped into the bathroom and turned on his shower. He contemplated how to react when he saw Stefan again. After all it had been years since they had seen each other. He had invited Stefan to stay with him in the boarding house in Mystic Falls during his summer break. Stefan was a sophomore at Whitmore College and he knew he could have stayed in the area but it wasn't like Damon didn't have the room. The boarding house was enormous and left him feeling completely alone. But it had been in his mothers will to keep her boarding house, even if she didn't run it anymore. She wanted the home to stay in the family, and to leave Damon with something to remember her by. So Damon had left New York, and his fully furnished condo in the Upper East Side a few months ago to keep the old place running. His friends in the city could scarcly believe everything he seemed to be giving up, but to him it was worth it. He'd wasted too much of his life living for him. Now it was time to live through his mother, and thorugh the life she wanted for him. When he'd arrived at the boarding house he wasn't fully sure of what he'd signed on for. It had been in dyer need of some TLC, but Damon had the place cleaned, renovated, and good as new in no time.

Damon sighed letting the warm water from the shower release the tension he had built up over the past few days. Little Gilbert, boss out of town, and Stefan arriving today had him tied up in knots. Knowing he needed a way to relieve this tension Damon let his mind drift to thoughts of his encounter with Elena. He got lost in a fantasy of her being here in the shower with him. She would come up from behind him, placing her hands over his abdomen and whisper what her desires were in his ear. Then their lips would find each other, and soft moans would escape their lips. Her fingers would run through his hair, as his hands would roam over her body following the trails of water running down. Damon couldn't help it; he grabbed his painfully hard manhood and rubbed up and down, imagining Elena's fingers over his hard sensitive flesh. Images of him putting her against the shower wall and entering her had him reeling, and he came much sooner than he thought he would.

_Damn. You've really got it bad man_. He thought as he rinsed and turned off the shower. He reached for his towel and dried himself as his mind processed what to do about Elena's interview. He knew he would have to call her, but he only had Jeremy's number in his cell, and there was no guarantee he'd get a hold of her again through that little punk. Reaching for his phone on the counter, he called the one person he knew might have her number.

"Hello boss what's up?"

"Good morning Donovan, I was hoping you could help me solve the mystery of a missing phone number…" Damon said into his phone.

Calling Matt had been a last resort due to his circumstances with family. Damon still couldn't believe the position Matt's sister and mother had put him in but well that was life.

"Sure, who's number do you need?" Asked Matt.

"Elena Gilbert's please." Damon replied trying not to give away the pleasure he had when her name came rolling off his tongue.

"Elena? Why? Is Jeremy in some sort of trouble?" Matt asked trying to piece together why Damon would need to reach Jeremy's sister.

_Because I want to fuck her brains out ok? _Damon thoughts screamed, instead he replied, "Because she offered to take Jeremy's position last night after I fired him."

"Oh," came Matts voice, "well you know we have history right?"

"Nope. But supply and demand Donovan. I need a worker and she's more than willing. So text me her number and make it fast."

Damon stated as he hung up the phone. He was stunned. How had she gone for boy wonder he couldn't even fathom. He did know however, that he wanted this to be a summer he would not soon forget. He smiled hoping Elena Gilbert would be a part of making those dreams turn into reality.

Damon glanced down at his phone as it buzzed with Elena's contact information. He dialed it right away, waiting to hear her lovely voice. He was sorely disappointed to go to voicemail, but it was early. He found himself smirking as he left her a voicemail asking for an interview and emphasizing her name rolling off his tongue. He had said he hoped to see her soon, and his mind jumped to thoughts of how much he would be seeing of her and soon.

He got dressed and skipped down the stairs. Grabbing his keys and heading out the door toward his car he couldn't help but notice a little pep in his step and of the lovely creature that had given it to him.


	6. Chapter 6

Ch. 6

_"Day one, told you I had a past. You fell in love, you fell in love. Boy you fell so fast…Don't dance with the devil if you can't take the heat." ~Dance with the Devil, Rachel Taylor_

Elena drove towards the grill feeling a bit apprehensive. She hadn't really had time this morning to exactly print out a resume, or even consider what this particular job would entail, but she was excited just the same. Checking her eye makeup in the mirror once more, she turned off her car and got out. She was ready for this, on so many levels.

Damon waited impatiently looking out the blinds from the office of The Grill. He knew it was only 11:50, but he couldn't wait to see her again. Not simply to look at her, although the thought was intriguing. Yet somehow he thought he just wanted to know her.

He gasped as he saw her climb out of her silver SUV in the parking lot. _She dressed up for you, _He thought. Although technically he knew she was coming in to be interviewed. He swore he couldn't name a single employee who had showed up to an interview looking like_ that_. Her slimming skirt left little to his imagination about her slender form. He grinned and practically skipped to the door of his office. Opening the door he shouted at Matt to have Elena see him when she got in. Matt almost grunted at him and shook his head. Damon realized this might be awkward for the late lovebirds, but really they needed to get over it already, after all Damon had plans. Many plans that all included her.

Elena made her way into the grill feeling fidgety. Once she saw Matt Donovan she began rethinking this decision. She hadn't expected to work with an ex. She silently thanked God that at least it hadn't been her first love, Stefan. Then things would have really been awkward. The last time she'd seen him was about a month after her parents' death. They'd met at the town gazebo where he'd given her the same old speech she'd heard from every other romantic comedy: he didn't want to be weighed down with responsibilities.

After that he went off to Whitmore College and was never heard from again. His time, she figured, was better served banging sorority girls and playing beer pong than being her boyfriend, but hey she found a way to pick up the pieces. Caroline and Bonnie had been there for her, and she'd convinced herself she was better off without him.

Matt came up to her with a shy smile and let her know Damon wanted to see her in his office. Elena thanked him and continued towards the oak door. She nervously grabbed the knob and went to turn it to find the door was already opened. Damon stood off in the distance behind the main desk in the modest sized room. Once they set eyes on each other they knew they hadn't done each other justice. Elena gawked at Damon's forearms and broad chest through his cotton black V-neck. His cobalt blue eyes searched hers and he finally found his voice,

"Ms. Gilbert, I already like you!"

Elena was taken aback with his forwardness that she found herself automatically asking, "Why is that Mr. Salvatore?"

"Because you're not only on time. You're early." He stated slipping into the plush leather chair behind the desk, and straightening up his stack of papers.

He'd discovered some company interview questionnaires and was prepared to do this professionally. After all he knew he liked this girl, but if she didn't have the skills he doubted he could sell Rick on the idea of hiring her.

"Go ahead and have a seat Elena. I've got some questions I would like to ask you about for this position."

Elena found herself shakily walking toward the chair in front of the wide oak desk in front of them. She sank into the chair, grateful to have something to catch her. Wow, did he really make her go weak in the knees. _I thought that only happened in the movies._ _Focus_ _Elena_ she thought.

"I'm ready when you are." She stated not meaning for her statement to come out ask erotic as it did. Damon nearly dropped his papers. He cleared his throat and asked, "Any prior employment?"

"Not for awhile. I used to work at the general store down the way, but that was last summer. Since the start of senior year I've been pretty caught up in my studies."

"What is your first choice for major?" Damon asked intrigued by her sheer will.

"English major with a minor in writing. I would like to be a journalist someday." Elena stated almost in auto mode. She felt she'd been asked this question so many times by everyone else he might as well know too.

"Wow, so grades are still going strong even with your…urm….family tragedy?" He gulped, hoping he hadn't overstepped a boundary. Damon felt as if there had been a pulling from his soul the moment he saw her admit her parents' death. In a way it was as if he had seen himself in her after his mothers passing. Knowing her pain was as real as his made him selfishly want her more. In a compelling way he had a thriving need to protect her. Damon couldn't believe how quickly it took to want her.

"Not at all. I actually find comfort in healthfully distracting myself with my studies." She stated feeling as if he should know her strengths. After all if a strong woman intimidated him, she needed to know now before this went any further.

He felt like he'd never met someone so strong in his life. To have gone through what she had, and still maintain her grades was astounding to him. Damn, even her will of perseverance turned him on. He did have it bad.

"Well now that your brother has unwillingly put this job in your lap so to speak, are you sure you can handle it?" Damon asked, his eyes boring into hers with an intensity that surprised him. "I'm sure there are other things that could occupy your time, that would better benefit you in the future. Perhaps taking a job with the local newspaper would better suit you."

Elena knew he was trying to be thoughtful, but for some reason anyone telling her what to do struck a cord. Beautiful man or not, he was not going to speak to her that way. Elena rose so her body leaned over the desk in between them.

"Excuse me, but I'm very aware for what I signed on for. I'm a hard worker, and I learn fast. Trust me, show me anything and I can do it for you."

Elena's reaction to his probing had Damon reeling. He'd never meant to make her feel inferior, but she was so adorable getting all hot and bothered under the collar…show her anything could he? Really? Somehow he knew the thoughts he had leaping through his mind right now might not be what she had intended. However more basic parts of his anatomy didn't give a damn about her motives. It was all need. Need for her body, and her heart.

Before he could stop himself he stood as well, rounding the desk so they were face to face.

"Fast learner huh? What would you like for me to do for you Elena? How can I help you? Hmmm?" Damon purred

"You can give me this job Damon." Elena stated. She needed this position for her and Jeremy, if for nothing else.

"I'll do whatever it is you need for me to do Elena." Damon said huskily leaning closer towards her.

After that both of them got lost in the reasons why they were there except for each other. He reached out and framed her cheek with his hand. There was a slight hitch in Elena's breath as he brushed against her skin, and she found her gaze dropping to his lips. Damon looked into her eyes once more, silently asking her for permission to do the one thing they both silently craved. As he leaned in, Elena's hands contacted with his broad chest, and their lips met. It was soft at first, and then hungrily built into a passion that ignited like wildfire. They sunk into each other with a sigh of relief while Elena's hands found the nape around Damon's neck. He found his hands had a mind of their own as well as they roamed over her waist under the ridiculous cardigan she'd deemed to wear. He peeled the light material off her shoulders and it fell to the floor leaving her in her wine colored blouse. Continuing to deepen the kiss, Damon pressed her back towards the desk. Elena's heart was pounding while starbursts of light seemed to dance behind her eyelids. She'd never felt anything this electric before. As if she had to have him now, or die. Her hands went on an adventure of their own accord, traveling up under his V-neck where she could feel the sleek contours of his stomach. She heard a low moan in his throat, and then an abrupt knock at the door followed by it slamming open.

Both Elena and Damon sprang apart like two horny teenagers caught in the act, which might have happened considering where their thoughts had been leading them.

"Hello brother, I see you've met my ex." Came Stefan's voice from the doorway.

"Stefan?" Elena's voice rang out in alarm, as she glanced back at Damon to say, "Brother?!"

***Uh oh ex lovers all around for Elena...what will she do? How will Damon react when he finds out just how much of a past they have...**

**As always keep reviewing and reading! I really like how involved you are all getting. I hope I built up the Delena relationship a little bit more than just lust...but this is an M rated novel so smutt and sex are bound to happen...eventually. ;)**


	7. Chapter 7

"_Hey, all you had to do was stay had me in the palm of your hand man, why'd you have to go and lock me out when I let you in. Now you say you want it back, now that it's just too late well could've been easy, all you had to do was stay." All You Had To Do Was Stay, Taylor Swift_

Ch. 7

The three of them continued looking at each other, attempting to piece together what had just happened.

Damon was the first to break the silence.

"Ex? Wait you two know each other?"

"Oh we go way back don't we Elena?" Stefan stated making his way into the room and closing the door behind him.

"We did." Elena stated looking coldly at Stefan.

Damon's thoughts went from _shit_ to _oh my damn_ in two seconds. Donovan was one thing but _Stefan_?

Elena looked between the two men in the room fighting the question that kept rising up in her mind…_brothers?_

"Did you just call Damon your brother? But your last name is McGuire." Elena spoke towards Stefan being careful to never maintain eye contact. While waiting for confirmation her eyes rose up to Damon's blue ones, hoping that this couldn't possibly be true.

Damon didn't wait for his baby brother to respond while he explained, "I'm afraid it is true. He's my half brother. Same mother, Laura Salvatore." Damon found had to hold back the pain in his voice from surfacing for even saying her name aloud.

"Are you two done re-establishing the family tree now?" Came Stefan's voice from the other end of the room. "What are you doing here Elena?" his voice spat out as his eyes finally made contact with hers.

Elena couldn't breathe. All she felt was pain reaching through her heart and suffocating her words. It was like she was reliving that dreadful season all over again…losing her parents and then losing her first love. _Who would come back from that?_ She thought. She was selfishly relieved to have Damon answer the question for her.

"Stefan, I was just interviewing Elena for a position here at The Grill. It's nothing that you need to concern yourself with."

"Well I just wanted to make it clear that we dated for what...a year or so? Then things got messy and we broke it off. Not that that should interfere with her _people skills_. I'm sure she'll make a very _friendly _worker for you Damon."

"I don't need your help Stefan." Elena spat back. The pain had slowly but surely morphed into anger towards him. Who did he think he was? He had been the one to leave her. Why should he care? Besides that he hadn't even been home to see what shed had to do to keep her and her brother going.

Damon's voice rang out across the room in a gruff voice that Elena was unaware he had, "I'm not looking for a _friendly_ worker Stefan. That's not my line of business. Elena is fairly capable of doing this job, and I'll thank you to leave my office now before I call security." He spat his words towards his brother fighting the urge to protect Elena at all costs.

Elena turned to Damon and said, "No that's alright I'll leave." She took a step towards the door and then turned towards Damon once more, "Let me know about the position." She muttered out along with somewhat of a thank you as she sped towards the exit. She nearly tripped past Stefan as she closed the door behind her.

Elena felt herself turning redder by the second as she realized this just went way past complicated. A pain in her heart had sprung up the second shed seen Stefan standing in the doorway. Elena sighed as she realized she would never fully be prepared to have him back here in her life. She blamed herself for thinking that the cold dark chapter of her life was over.

How ignorant she felt for even preparing herself to be optimistic today about this interview. She wouldn't hold her breath for a callback on that one. Better to take her chances applying for that newspaper like Damon had suggested.

Damon. She sighed remembering his kiss. He had left her feeling so alive, and cherished. His touch had been filled with the same need as hers, and she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt any man make her feel that racked with desire. God what would he think of her now? She figured he already knew she had a past with Matt and now his brother? She doubted she would ever have another chance with him again after this.

Elena stormed out of The Grill and got into her car. Hitting the wheel a few times she turned on the ignition and drove away. She was coasting down the street when she felt her phone go off beside her. Seeing it was Damon she let it go to voicemail. She didn't feel like hearing about how much of a slut she was, especially from a guy who just had his tongue down her throat. Once she was home and safe behind her door Elena listened to his message and was astonished to hear empathy in his voice instead of contempt.

"Elena, its Damon, look I know that had to have been just as uncomfortable for you as it was for me. I just want you to know as unprofessional as it was for me to kiss you I don't regret it, and I refuse to apologize for it. On another note my baby bro may have rocked the boat a bit but the job here is yours if you'll take it. Give me a call and let me know."

Elena couldn't believe her ears not only had she secured a job, but Damon was also still interested in her. She just hoped things wouldn't get more complicated than they already were.

Elena for once was glad to be home alone. Jeremy had sent her a text this morning saying he was hanging out with Tyler Lockwood for the day. Elena had not seen that friendship coming but she had been glad to see him hanging out with a new less smoky crowd.

She decided to head upstairs to change for the day. After all a pencil skirt and pumps didn't exactly go with the veg-day she had planned for the day ahead. She rushed upstairs and changed into a tank and some sweats. Then headed downstairs for some much-needed chocolate. Just as she neared the bottom steps Elena heard a knock at the front door. She was confused since she wasn't expecting company but she decided to answer it anyway. Perhaps it was Damon coming back to finish what he started. Elena's skin tingled at the thought as she went to open the door. Although the second she opened it she wished she hadn't.

There on her front porch stood Stefan McGuire, the one person she was most dreading to see.

_Wrong brother_, she thought.

"What do you want Stefan."

"Just to let you know what I told Damon." He said, his green eyes cutting her to the core.

"And what was that?" she asked not particularly interested. She just wanted him off her porch.

"I came back to this town for one reason, one alone, and that is to lay claim to my mothers property and whatever else is mine."

"Ok well that's great and all but I fail to see how this has anything to do with me." Elena stated preparing to shut the door in his face.

Without warning, Stefan reached out and grasped Elena's head between his hands as his lips crashed down unexpectedly over hers. Elena barely had a moment to process what was happening before his lips left hers, and he was staring back into her eyes as her breath came out in small puffs before her. The last thing Stefan said before briskly leaving her porch was enough to leave her mind reeling,

"You are _mine_."

Elena fought to control her spiraling emotions as Stefan disappeared into his car and drove away.

Leaving her with one thought, _all you had to do was stay_.

***Ok just a reminder that this is a DELENA Fanfic...but there will be some angst and Stelena along the way just to give you a fair warning. Thanks again for the reviews and follows! It means the world! ~iHeart1202**


	8. Chapter 8

_"Rain came pouring down when I was drowning, That's when I could finally breathe, and that morning, gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean" Clean, Taylor Swift_

_Ch. 8_

Elena was utterly confused and emotionally spent. She had drawn a bath upstairs hoping it would relieve some of the pent up frustrations from before. As the water flowed from the faucet her thoughts continued to swim back and forth from Damon to Stefan.

Stefan had been her first love. In fact Stefan had been apart of many firsts for Elena, even her first time. She remembered the day vividly. They had left school during the day to come back to the house with one thing on their minds: each other. Elena had led him up to her room and to the very bed that was still there. He had been tender with her, as if she might break from his touch. Although everything played out to her every wish she still found herself wishing there had been more; more intimacy, more urgency…. more passion.

It was something they lacked. Of course there had been an attraction in the beginning, after all it's what had changed her mind about Matt. She felt that Stefan might be that person to give her that something more. The one person she could depend on, and love. In the end she came up empty. After their lovemaking his kisses started to fade, and even while she was with him her mind would run towards other things. Yet she clung to him because he had become her world. Throughout their time together her friends became to fade until the only person she felt she could confide in about anything and everything was him. So she pushed the doubts she had aside, hoping they would change.

Then another night came where Stefan had not been so gentle. She'd let it slip that she thought he treated her like a china doll. So he thought he'd show her how rough with her he could be. Only it wasn't about being rough, it was about sensuality and passion, but like many other things he misinterpreted her.

With a chaste kiss he had thrown her on the bed and stripped her of her clothing from the waist down. Without hesitation or warning he had entered her and continued to thrust, even through her screams of protest.

"Please Stefan, no. Not like this. Stop. Stefan please! Stop you're hurting me!"

He had finally stilled and removed himself from her inner folds. Elena winced and covered her body with the blanket below her. Without a word he had pulled on his pants and left. She sat there feeling used and betrayed by him, and began to cry. She tried to get dressed and push down the hurt in her chest but it kept rising.

He had missed the point completely and had hurt her physically and emotionally in the process. She threw herself back on her bed feeling guilty and frustrated to the point of tears. Her mom had come home early from work to find her on her bed completely broken.

"Elena, honey what's the matter?"

"Oh Mom," she'd sobbed, grabbing hold of her mothers waist and holding her there. "It's Stefan." Her mother sat down beside her on the bed and laid her head in her lap. "Tell me what happened."

"Stefan and I…we're drifting apart. I've tried everything I know to do and its still not enough. I'm not enough." She said sobbing into Miranda's lap.

"Sweetie I know you have. Don't think that way you are enough, look at me." She said tenderly stroking Elena's scalp. It was soothing her and Elena's tears began to subside.

"Honey," her mother said," You should always feel like you're enough for the man you love. The right one for you will never make you feel like you have to try. It will be effortless and beautiful."

"Then what if its not?" Elena croaked out beneath her.

"Only you can decide if he's right for you or not."

"Oh I don't know what to do." Elena groaned burying her head into her mother's side.

"Of course you do honey. That's why you're in so much pain. If you didn't know what to do you wouldn't be this upset." Her mother said rubbing calming circles on her back.

Elena remembered the rest of the night in excruciating detail. For that had been the night of her parent's accident. Both Grayson and Miranda had left to go and pick up Jeremy from band practice across town. Unfortunately they never made it there to pick him up. A drunk driver on I-40 had been their cause of demise and all involved had been casualties.

Elena let her tears come as she remembered that comforting moment from her mother that she would never forget. She had known what to do. She had to let Stefan go. He wasn't enough for her, and she would never be enough for him. Her grief from her parent's death had been the only thing it seemed that had held them together. Eventually Stefan had been the one to leave. To say what they both knew had to happen and had to end:

"Elena, I'm leaving."

"What? Where are you going?"

"To Whitmore. I'm starting school there soon anyway. I've decided to get an apartment close by campus."

"Ok then I'll come with you. We'll have a moving day."

"Don't"

"Don't? Why Stefan what's going on? What aren't you telling me?"

"It's not enough Elena. I want different things. You want different things. This was never going to work out. You knew that." There was a long pause as Elena realized what was happening. He was saying goodbye.

"No," Elena choked out through tears, "you can't do this to me Stefan. Not now. You can't leave me now."

"I have to. You can't cling to me forever. We have to let this go. I'm going to move on. You should too."

And with those words he had left Mystic Falls and never looked back. He had left her to pick up the pieces. Pieces of her broken heart, and her life. She was somehow able to pull herself together enough to call Caroline and Bonne and beg their forgiveness for being so distant. The girls of course had welcomed her back with open arms and together had helped her move on with her life. Elena had taken comfort in the years of knowing her and Stefan had both moved on, or so she had thought.

Now she sat in her warm tub thinking about the fierce kiss he had planted on her lips. She felt that things could have been so different if he had stayed. If they had tried things another way, and if she had just been honest maybe they would have had a chance. But now so much had changed, and time had passed. Elena was surprised to find that although she should have, she had felt nothing after their kiss. Nothing like the electricity she had felt with Damon.

Damon called to her in ways she hadn't known existed. Parts of her body that she wasn't aware were still alive. There was a yearning in her soul to discover what those feelings meant. Her heart raced as she relived their kiss again in detail. His hand resting against her face, his eyes asking her silently to let him in, and their sighs of approval when their lips had met. How they'd both been wrapped up in a frenzy of heat. His lips had felt soft and hard, but so hot against hers, and when he had pressed himself up against her she never wanted to let him go. Just imagining what she had felt under his shirt had her nether regions throbbing for release. His stomach had felt so hard and smooth to the touch, and she found herself fantasizing about licking every taught ridge in his abdomen, and below. Her fingers found her nether folds and she started to pleasure herself as she thought about what might have happened if Stefan hadn't interrupted them.

His moans would have met hers. She would have found her skirt pulled up around her middle, her panties pushed aside, as his fingers rubbed her clit. Thier tongues intertwining as they gasped at new sensations. She would have found the button to his pants and slid down the zipper, reaching her hand down and feeling him inside his jeans. Hoping he would have lost control at her touch on him, that's when he would have lost control, clearing the desk and laying her down while entering her. She knew he would have made her meet him thrust for thrust and she would have came calling out his name.

It was all too much that Elena quickly found her release in the tub. She blushed as she finished washing herself off. Yet somehow she knew that Damon might just be everything she needed.

She wasn't Stefan's. She hadn't been in quite sometime. She felt that now it was time for him to know that. Whether it was with his brother or someone else he would still need to get over it. She had changed in so many ways. Her mind and her heart would be constant, but somewhere inside she knew that the woman he thought he loved had died the moment he left. She was brand new now, a braver and stronger woman. She knew what she wanted now, and she was ready for a real love. One that she knew time would stand still for.

**Well there is your M rating chapter...hope it wasn't too racy. More to come ;)**

**There also might be some more Stefan focused chapters but rest assured this is a DELENA fanfic. Hang in there. ~iHeart1202**


	9. Chapter 9

"You're such a fucking hypocrite." Fake it, Seether

Ch. 9

Damon was in shock. He sat gazing out the window of the Grill attempting to replay the last few hours in his head. Elena's interview, their shared kiss, heat and electricity filling the air…until Stefan had interrupted them, and utterly ruined everything.

To be fair everything was probably an understatement after the conversation that had taken place after Elena had scurried out of the office.

_Flashback_

"What is the hell is your problem Stefan?" Damon said while seeing Elena disappear behind the door.

"My problem is that you seem to think you can go around kissing underage girls, and not getting caught." Stefan stated while leaning against the wall across from his brother.

"She's not underage, she's 18, and do you even have a point?" Damon scoffed.

"My point, Damon, is I have the prior claim."

"Prior claim? What are we dogs marking our territory here?"

"If it comes to that."

"Sweet Jesus! So let me get this straight. You left Mystic Falls to go to Whitmore and expected her to wait for you? Are you insane? I can't think of a single reason why Elena's still single."

"Because she knew there was no one else she wanted." Stefan said, coming off sounding just as cocky as he looked.

All Damon had wanted to do was rip that chip right off his shoulder.

"Look, I know this might be a bit awkward for you but you left her. She is free to do what she wants, which seems to not be you at the moment. In case you weren't paying attention she practically hissed at you just now.''

"She always does this, just wait her out and she'll come around. She always does."

"Can you hear yourself Stef? God I hope you haven't been saving yourself for her."

"Oh I don't have to, cause she's already given it up to me."

Damon swallowed, feeling as if he'd been slapped in the face.

"I didn't realize you two had been that serious."

Damon tried to make it seem as if Stefan's assaults weren't plaguing him, but truthfully they were cutting into his core like knives.

"We were together for a year Damon. I've had her all the ways I've wanted. Maybe more."

Damon stomach churned as he thought of Stefan even touching her. He did his best to digest the information.

_Ok fine they had a sexual past. Does that make things a bit weird for you? Do you want your brothers sloppy seconds? Hell no._

But this was Elena, and something told him not to hold it against her.

"Well it isn't as if she's been gagging for it since you left." came Damon's reply. Now it was his turn to be cocky. Stefan didn't seem to let anything Damon said physically effect him, but Damon felt he had struck a nerve.

"What are you still doing here Stefan? Because I have work to do." Damon said standing up from his seat and walking toward the door just like Elena had moments before.

After a moment of awkward silence, and brooding stares out the window, Stefan finally declared, "I'm here for what's mine."

Damon glared at him. He honestly didn't remember ever wanting to slug someone more than his brother in that moment. He didn't deserve Elena, past or present, and Damon was going to make damn sure of that. However, something in his gut told him he might not just be talking about her.

"What's yours?"

"Mom's boarding house." Stefan said bluntly, staring into Damon's fury filled eyes.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. That place is half mine, and I believe I deserve the deed to it seeing as I was the one who practically grew up here."

"Mom left that house to me in her will Stefan. It was her goddamn dying wish. If you want to take it from me, you're going to need something stronger than some old sentiment and a lousy few years here under your belt."  
"Oh I came prepared don't worry." Came Stefan's voice as he pulled out a legal document from the inner part of his jacket.

Damon grabbed the papers and began to read over them in haste. It was a document made to change placement of property ownership.

"If you don't agree to give over your rights for the house, I will take you to court." Stefan said.

"You need to _leave_," Damon growled, "and don't even bother coming to the house tonight. Find your own goddamn room at the Holiday Inn."

"Fine," Stefan said, "but this, I promise you, is far from over."

"Can't wait." said Damon, shoving Stefan out of the office and firmly closing the door.

His eyes glanced down to the desk where his phone laid. He then saw two options: call Elena, or drown himself in paperwork. He chose the first and got the damn voicemail again. He continued to say he wasn't going to apologize for their shared moment, and that the job was hers. He knew he might later regret this decision, what with Stefan trying to claim her, but he didn't care. All he knew was that he wanted her

The rest of the day passed with minimal time for distractions. The Grill was in an uproar over the Mayor's Birthday celebration, and Damon welcomed the phone call from Rick saying he was coming back tomorrow. Now here he sat, looking out the window and trying to piece together the rapid turn of events.

Stefan wanted the boarding house.

Damon's heart sunk in his chest as he relived the day of his mother's funeral. He had just said his goodbyes, and laid a white rose on her grave. The next he knew he was in a room with way too much furniture polish discussing matters of state. Damon remembered feeling numb and ready for the day to be over. "The boarding house I leave to my eldest son Damon Salvatore, my guardian in life and in death." Damon had choked back sobs as he felt the weight of the last words his mother had left for him. She had called him her guardian, and all he could think about was how he couldn't protect her anymore.

Now Stefan wanted to take that final gift from her away. He wouldn't let him. He couldn't, and like hell was he backing down from Elena without a fight. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this way about someone else. Sure there had been many women in his life, quite a few after his mothers death. Living with the grief of his mother had apparently made him bachelor of the month, and women had flocked to him. He had chalked it up to the wounded solider role. Women always seemed to want to fix what couldn't be mended. After awhile he had lost himself in one woman. Her name had been Katherine Pierce, a tricky vixen who liked to play the dom more than the victim. Yet somehow he had fallen for her and gotten his heart chewed up and spit out. Because of her Damon had sworn off women for the moment, he believed it to be in the best interest of women everywhere. That had been until he'd knocked on the Gilbert's door and seen Elena with her big brown eyes full of innocence and promise. He'd melted instantly, and she had changed his mind in mere seconds. He wanted to know her, and he needed to see her. Something in him had snapped after Stefan left, and he couldn't put his finger on it but he was bound and determined to make sure Stefan would not get anything he wanted this summer. Including Elena. He grabbed his keys from his desk and rushed out of The Grill with one thought on his mind: _Elena will be mine_.

***OK well...lots of emotions in this chapter. I sure enjoyed writing the brother fight scene. Next up is hopefully some more moments with Elena and Damon at The Grill...with Alaric finding them in some compromising situations.**

**I'll hopefully be updating this week,but it is Christmas so bare with me. I'll do my best! Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!**


	10. Chapter 10

"You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me."~Safetysuit, Find A Way

Ch. 10

Damon's hands nervously clutched the wheel of Old Faithful as he turned down the block towards the Gilbert house. He wasn't quite sure of what his plan was. All he knew was that he needed to see Elena. His heart needed to be with her even if just for the simple reassurance that she wanted him too. Stefan had only planted doubts into his mind all morning. Even imagining Stefan's hands on her made his skin crawl.

A realization hit Damon hard: Elena would never be his unless she made it crystal clear she wanted him, and only him.

He cursed himself hoping against all odds that he hadn't made this all up in his mind. He wished that her touch had been real, as real as the love that had begun to grow within the dark corners of his heart. As he rolled in front of her house he couldn't help but think of the first time he'd met her. He smiled remembering the night he'd fired little Gilbert. If he had been thinking he should have asked her out then. It definitely would have saved them from the whole interview fiasco. However, this was still Mystic Falls, and even though he might not care about his reputation, he wanted to spare hers. He believed she deserved better than that, better than him.

Damon put the car in park in front of her house, and took the keys out of the ignition. Silently glancing back through his rearview mirror in the back seat he noticed his camera bag. Smirking he grabbed the bag and checked to make sure he would have everything he needed.  
"Batteries check, neck holder check, lenses check." His heart drummed to his new diabolical plan. Damon would be taking pictures today, and Elena would be his muse. He threw the bag over his head and started for the door. He knew he was showing up unannounced but that just made this plan so much more exciting. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this…giddy. He rang the bell and waited for the object of his affections to come and join him, and he hoped against hope that she would be more than willing to come with him.

* * *

Elena climbed out of the tub and threw the largest towel she could find on. Her skin felt soft and warm against the towel, and she was finally ready to climb back into her jammies and have her veg-day when she heard the doorbell ring. She sighed thinking it might be Stefan again to ruin her day some more. Glancing down she threw off her towel and grabbed the nearest bra and underwear combo she could find, and slipped into some old jean shorts. Absentmindedly she thought about the weather outside, it was considerably warm today so she grabbed an old light blue tank, grabbed a hair tie, and headed for the stairs. Taking them one at a time, she worked her hair into a messy bun on the top of her head. She silently prepared herself for seeing Stefan again. Thinking over their past had brought up a lot of memories that she had forced herself to keep hidden. At the moment she felt raw and venerable, which was not what she wanted to be for round two. Elena took a breath and opened the door. Her breath caught in her throat, as she took in six feet of handsome on her front porch again.

"Damon." Elena said, finding his name sounding throaty and gruff against her lips.

Damon seemed to be drinking her in, as his eyes roamed across her smooth olive skin. The tank and shorts clung to her body, and Damon could see every mouthwatering curve.

"Elena." Damon said causing her body to go hot and wet in certain areas.

"What are you doing here?" she asked sounding apprehensive but intrigued all at once.

"I wanted to apologize for the interview," he said coming closer towards her. Her hand still held the doorknob, but her body leaned in wanting him."Stefan can be a little intense."

Elena laughed and replied, "Hold the little. That was probably the most awkward interview in the history of time. However, I am very glad with the outcome." She grinned up at him seeing his blue eyes shine at her words.

"I was too. "He said sounding more seductive than he meant to.

Elena's eyes moved to his lips and her thoughts rushed her back to their shared moment in his office. Before she could get lost in her thoughts, Damon was grabbing her by the hand and pulling her onto the porch.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she tripped onto the cool wood in her bare feet.

"I just wanted to make sure of something." He stated and then his arm circled her waist, and his hand cradled her neck as he tipped her lips up towards his. She sighed as his lips covered hers again in a warm wet kiss. His lips were so soft on her own, and her body pulled her towards him wanting to be closer.

Like their first kiss, this one built fast. Damon's tongue licked her bottom lip, seeking entrance into her mouth. Elena moaned as she let his tongue caress her own. Their hands roamed over each other's bodies and Elena soon found herself pressed up against the front of her house. Elena found her hips moving against his, fighting for friction as her body caught on fire. His lips moved to her neck and his hands slid over her breasts. Her body arched towards his willing hands; loving the sensations he was giving her. Damon lifted his head to claim her lips once more. Their bodies fought for urgency to come together, and they both sighed in frustration when Damon pulled away.

"Ok. I think we know that works." He said panting while his eyes locked on Elena's soft brown orbs. His hands stayed clutching her hips, as he rested his forehead to hers.

"Oh yeah." She said, licking her lips.

"You wanna get lost?" Damon asked, tilting his head and giving her his best puppy dog eyes.

Elena never stood a chance. "God yes." She breathed out.

Damon nearly danced with glee as he grabbed her hand and led her to the edge of the porch toward his car. Suddenly Elena stopped, and Damon silently feared the worst. Had they moved to fast? Was she ready to back out?

Answering Damon's silent questions she said, "I have to get my shoes. I'll be right there."

Damon's smile widened and he nodded in approval as he watched Elena run inside. She was back in mere seconds clutching her keys, phone, and wallet while wearing flip-flops. Damon stole another quick kiss as she locked up and then grabbed for her hand. They headed down the steps of her porch towards his car with matching smiles, neither of them caring where they were going, as long as they were with each other.

"So where are you taking me Damon?" Elena asked as she sat in the front seat of his car. Damon loved seeing her here, and smiled as he realized how right it felt to have her with him. As if she truly belonged to him, and not to his brother.

"I thought I'd show you my world. Just for today, and then you can decide if you want to risk this or not."

"Risk what?" Elena asked looking confused. She felt she'd clearly shown him how much she wanted him.

"A future with me." Came his reply. His eyes bore into hers with such intensity that Elena's reply came out almost inaudible.

"I already do."

"Then baby, are you going to love the day I have planned for us." He said, turning the engine over and heading towards his favorite spot in town: The falls.

**Well there it is chapter 10! I can't believe how fast this story is going and I owe it all to my fabulous readers. I'm really excited about writing the next chapter, because its the one that really inspired this story so...keep reading! Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays! ~iHeart**


	11. Chapter 11

"You put your arms around me and I'm home." Christina Perri, Arms

Ch. 11

Damon and Elena drove away from the town line with one thing on their minds: each other. Elena couldn't stop her gazes from drifting towards Damon's face and his angular features. His jawline was firm, and soft curling lashes surrounded his blue eyes. She also noticed that his black hair was just touching the collar of his dark V-neck shirt. She longed to run her fingers through the silky softness of his hair again, and get lost in his soft, sensual lips. Instead she settled for grabbing his hand as they drove. The car filled with comfortable silence as they listened to Damon's retro themed music.

"So seriously where are you taking me Damon?" Elena asked. The suspense was killing her. She hated secrets, and was impatient to boot.

"My favorite spot in town. I'm taking you to see The Falls. I figured that would be the best place." He stated.

"Best place for what?" she asked, her interest was piqued.

"You'll see." He said smirking and giving her a side wink.

Although she was excited to spend a day with Damon, as they turned the corner to the falls Elena's heart sunk in her chest. It had been the one place that had been hers and Stefan's. Rationally she knew that he was probably trying to be romantic, but her subconscious didn't seem to give a damn. She pouted as she realized this wouldn't be the fun filled romantic day she had hoped for. Instead it would be a stroll down memory lane. Elena sighed in frustration and chose to let it go. After all this was Damon, not Stefan. Even though they were brothers they seemed completely different, and Elena was determined to keep it that way.

Damon stopped the car in front of the quarry and got out. Then he opened up his backseat and grabbed for a bag. Elena glanced over at him realizing it was a camera bag. Her imagination went into overdrive thinking about what sort of images they could take out here in the middle of nowhere.

She slowly made her way out of her seat and shut the door. Looking out across the water she gasped. The sun was just starting to set below the horizon and the remaining beams set off a spectrum of colors across the water. The falls made the water ripple which sent out silvery sparks of light in all directions. She found herself getting lost in the beauty around her. The trees framed the grove below, and Elena found herself thinking about how secluded they really were from the world.

Damon came up behind Elena, and saw an opportunity. He quickly and quietly grabbed his camera, turned it on and focused the lens on Elena.

His breath caught at her beauty. She was breathtaking in the twilight with her olive skin and brown hair framing her face. She had just let her hair down, and Damon was mesmerized.

Elena turned when she heard the click of the camera, and caught Damon in the act beside her.

"Hey!" She said grabbing for the camera.

"Uh uh no no," said Damon waving a finger in front of her. "This is exactly what I needed. Pose for me baby."

Elena rolled her eyes and cocked her hip out while resting her hand on it. She gave him her best 'come and get it' stare, and Damon clicked away on his camera. Starting to get into it Elena posed like 'vogue' and began to giggle ferociously. Damon couldn't help himself from laughing with her. It was so easy to be happy around her that he found himself smiling continuously.

After a few more clicks, Elena grabbed for his camera. He was usually very protective of his possessions, but for some reason when Elena reached for his camera he found himself giving it to her willingly. Leaving the strap around his neck she lifted the body so that the lens focused on both of them. "Time to take a selfie with me!" She cried, clicking the button and giving the image her cheesiest smile. Being so close to Elena, Damon found his hand circling around her waist. He pressed his cheek to hers for the first picture and then glanced to the side for the second. Drinking her smooth skin in he found he couldn't stop himself from kissing her. Images of their shared kisses on the porch jumped into his mind, and he quickly turned her head to capture her lips with his. Elena moaned in surprise and then sunk into his kiss. She pressed the camera button one last time, before releasing it. It fell to rest on Damon's chest with the help of the strap and Damon took the opportunity to grab for Elena's body with his free hand. His tongue traced her bottom lip, and Elena granted him entry instantly. His body molded to hers and forced her up against the nearest tree. His hands quickly raced across her body, and Elena moaned as his hands found her skin under her tank. She felt Damon smile against her lips and then in the next moment felt her shirt being raised up off her body. Damon stepped back to enjoy the view. Elena's chest was heaving as she fought to catch her breath and Damon's eyes focused on the swell of her breasts underneath a restrictive blue bra. After her shirt had been taken off, Elena felt exposed, but the second she had seen Damon's reaction all thoughts of being self-conscious slipped away. He was looking at her with such intensity that she couldn't imagine he didn't like what he saw. Elena grinned, and went to return the favor while coming up with a clever plan. "Its hot isn't it?" she asked as she skimmed off his V-neck shirt and camera. He raised his hands and muttered an "Mmmhmmm" while running his hands across her abdomen and grazing her breasts.

"We should go for a swim." He stated after a moment, finding his voice.

Elena squealed with glee as he grabbed her and picked her up throwing her over his shoulder. He reached the river and set her down, giving her one last kiss as he dove into the water with ease. Elena watched in fascination as the water enveloped him. She still thought he was wearing too many clothes, so she came up with a better idea to get him to strip.

Damon rose up out of the water halfway, waiting for Elena to join him.

"Come on beautiful, the waters fine." He yelled out coaxing her in.

"I think I need to lose something first." She said while reaching for the button on her shorts. Damon's eyes grew wide as he took in the scene before him. Elena was taking off her shorts slowly while shimmying her hips out of the denim fabric. He found he couldn't help it, he was rock hard in the water waiting, and he wanted her now more than ever before.

He took in her slender voluptuous form, her blue bra, and neon green bikini panties. Christ she looked like sex on legs.

"You about done?" He asked waiting for her to join him. He needed her to join him.

"Just about." She said reaching for a rope Damon hadn't known was there. This must have been the swimming hole, but he wasn't aware of it until now. He watched as she grabbed the rope and swung herself into the crisp water. The splash made him look away for a moment and when she surfaced right before him he was lost. Lost in the water cascading down her body, and the beauty of her face covered in tiny droplets of water. When he looked into her eyes he saw heat, and he knew what she wanted. It was what he had wanted too. Slowly she reached for him and grasped his waist. Her breasts pressed against his hard chest, her nipples hardening on his flesh. He moaned and grasped her head in his hands claiming her mouth once again. He loved feeling her lips on his. She was warm and inviting, and always ready for him. He took immense pleasure in knowing he could be the one to make her melt. He simply wanted to know how ready for him she was. Dipping his hands lower under the water, Damon found the rim of her soaked panties and dipped his finger inside the top lower band. He began tracing the back of her bottom and came up under her center. Elena groaned at the sensation of his hand on her and losing control grabbed for Damon's jeans. She undid the button and worked him out of them. Throwing them back to the shore she went for his boxers, only to discover he had none. She gasped in surprise just as Damon's finger found her lower folds. Her eyes flashed up to his, and she saw them dark with desire. Even in the water he'd felt her wetness for him, and he was more than ready to make her his. She trembled thinking about him being naked in the water with her. She had stripped him of his pants thinking he would be wearing something underneath, but instead had gotten a huge surprise. His length was now hard and pressing up against her hip. He drew her deeper into the water pushing her towards a tree on the side of the shore. He kissed her hard to show her how much he needed her, and she kissed him back with just as much force hungrily wanting him. Her hips began grinding into his seeking friction for the release she most desperately needed. Damon's lips briefly left hers to kiss the sweet softness of her neck. Elena gasped as his lips continued lower and his hand released one of her breasts. "So beautiful." Damon breathed looking at Elena. His lips quickly covered her nipple and she cried out in ecstasy as his teeth nibbled on her sensitive peak. Damon seized the opportunity and tilted his hips so that her center came into contact with his throbbing need. "Oh yeah that's where I like it." Elena breathed grabbing hold of Damon's head and forcing his lips back to hers. She rode his hard on through her panties, grinding her hips up and down and giving them both a taste of what they truly desired.

"God Elena, I'm not going to last…"Damon breathed out gruffly in between Elena's forceful kisses.

"Oh God Damon, take me!" She screamed nearing her release.

Damon didn't need another invitation. He ripped her panties off of her wet skin and grabbed his hardness pressing himself up to her warm wet center.

"Please" Elena moaned, and Damon lost it. As he entered her they moaned together in pleasure both of them taking pleasure in becoming one. He pulled out again and then drove into her once more causing them to cry out in ecstasy. In that moment their eyes met, and for a brief second they both felt an alarming connection, knowing somewhere inside that this time would be different. Finally, with his hands clinging to her hips, he began to thrust harder within her, wanting to show her how much he needed her.

"Oh Damon." She breathed feeling him fill her to the hilt. He stretched her so much she couldn't remember ever feeling so full of someone before or of wanting someone so much. He completely consumed her, his lips, his hands, even his gaze made her hunger for him. Feeling her release build Elena met Damon trust for trust. Suddenly he raised her up out of the water, carrying both of them to the shore. He gently laid her on the soft warm grass and entered her again moaning out her name. "Elena…God you feel amazing." He said huskily, making Elena want him more.

The new position he had her in made Elena's legs go up higher, and suddenly Damon hit a spot that made her see stars. She cried out against him, and felt herself let go.

"OH God…. Damon!" She screamed, clawing at his back. He felt her close tightly around him, and then lost all control spilling into her.

"Elena…" he breathed kissing her lips once more before collapsing onto her.

He was careful to roll slowly to the side and remove himself from her body.

Soon Elena's mind begin to take in the events of what had just happened as her body began to tremble remembering.

_Stefan._

He had taken her here. This had been the exact spot where they used to laugh, and make love. How could she have forgotten? Elena suddenly felt sick to her stomach realizing what she had just done with his brother.

Damon had been nothing like Stefan. He had been warm, passionate, and attentive to her needs and yet now all she felt was fear.

Because what did they have? A one-time fling at the falls? Elena was shocked to discover just how much of herself she had given up, and so freely. She should have known better than that. She glanced over at Damon. His face looked utterly sated, and she felt shame in herself for letting him take that part of her so soon. She wasn't some floosy, and he barely knew her. She slowly rose to sit up and grabbed for her shorts.

"Damon I need you to take me home." She said shakily.

Damon's head flashed to the side looking up at Elena quickly dressing in front of him.  
"Why? What's wrong?" He asked, sensing the distance she had begun to put between them.

"Its nothing, its just there's a history here you know nothing about. God I can't believe we did this." She said gruffly throwing on her tank top.

Damon rose up grabbing his damp jeans and shrugging them on. "What are you talking about Elena? I thought you wanted this. I thought you wanted me."

Her eyes met his and saw torment, and confusion. She didn't want to hurt him, but how could she explain without doing both?

"I do. I did…" she said confused.

"What so now that you've fucked me you're done with me is that it?" he said coming closer to her. He looked furious and Elena didn't blame him.

"Don't be so vulgar with me. We both got lost in the moment. I'm not blaming you, but it doesn't make this any less awkward."

"What's so awkward?" he asked his eyes boring into hers.

"You know." She said waiting for him to put two and two together.

"You're going to have to spell it out for me Elena. Especially if you're going to ruin perhaps the best moment of my life in the process."

Elena gasped; she hadn't expected to hear that. Being a one-time conquest would have almost been better than this. She sighed knowing she need to tell him the truth, "I've been here before...with Stefan…"

"So what? It is a public place I'm sure you've had dates here before with lots of guys." Damon asked not fully understanding

"No Damon, like we were just _now_." Elena said pointing towards the water and hoping he understood.

Realization struck Damon and washed over him like ice. She had slept with Stefan. Here. He felt like he was going to be sick.

"Ok I got it Elena. Lets just go." He said walking towards his car and picking up his shirt along with his camera on the ground.

Damon found he didn't need to know all the reasons for her indifference; he just needed to get her out of here and now.

Elena was torn, she knew what she had felt with Damon had been more, but something inside of her just couldn't let the past go. There was too much here. Too many memories, and Damon was almost a stranger. A mysterious being that had drifted into her life, and she couldn't trust him with her heart. Not yet.

Damon thrust his keys into the ignition as Elena sunk into the passenger seat. Her shirt sticking to her wet skin and her wet hair curling in ringlets around her head. They drove towards the Gilbert house in silence. Damon and Elena found themselves silently regretting the events that had happened, and both of them mourned the loss of what could have been.

Damon found his anger slowly subsiding and a slight pain beginning to replace it. He knew he wanted Elena. He wanted her with a passion that he couldn't even recognized himself. Damon had spent months trying to get over Katherine, and when he was with Elena, all that pain had melted away. He hadn't thought of anyone else but her and in spite of all the horrible messy and complicated history, he still wanted her and it pained him that he couldn't make her see he was genuine. That he wasn't Stefan, and he never would be.

Stopping the car at her house, Damon decided on a last ditch effort; reaching for her hand he clasped his fingers around hers.

Surprisingly Elena let him take it, and she looked up into his eyes once more. Wishing silently that they could mend this broken bridge.

"I know you have a past with Stefan, Elena. But I want you to know I'm not him. I never will be. Maybe that scares you, and makes you wish for a simpler time, back when you had a different life. But you'll never get back what you lost." Damon paused as he watched Elena's eyes fill with tears. Leaving her with a reassuring squeeze he removed his hand and said,

"When you decide what you want, I'll be here."

Elena slowly nodded her head while fighting back tears, and opened the car door to get out. Before leaving she turned to look at Damon one last time.

She found her voice and said, "Goodbye Damon." Before exiting the car and walking away from the one man she knew she would never forget.

***AUTHORS NOTE***

**Oh wow was that an angsty hot chapter or what? I know that most of you might be upset with me for rocking the Delena boat, but don't we always face conflict as Delena shippers? Its just apart of the reason we love them. Anyways I sure hope you enjoyed the racy sex scene it was a lot of fun to write! **

**Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all! Be good an review! :)**


	12. Chapter 12

"I know I let you down, but its not like that now. This time I'll never let you go. I will be all that you want, and keep myself together, cause you keep me from falling apart...To get you through the day and make everything ok." ~I Will Be, Avril Lavigne

Ch. 12

Elena watched with a heavy heart as Damon's blue car disappeared into the distance. She wished she could've said something to change the situation, but she knew it had all been irrevocably her fault. Her mind and heart were too full. Full of pain, full of love, full of lust, full of every emotion she could possibly hold in her heart. It wasn't fair. She had wanted Damon, wanted him so badly and yet she found she couldn't let herself be happy. Starting over with Damon had proved to be infuriating and impossible.

Walking towards her porch she grabbed her keys and moved towards the door to unlock it. She entered her house to find a trail of shoes and socks leading into the kitchen. She sighed knowing what this could possibly mean. She smiled as she heard the sounds of familiar voices filling the air. Jeremy had company, and from the looks of her kitchen Elena soon realized it was munchies time.

She walked into the kitchen to find Jeremy and Tyler Lockwood devouring ice cream. The middle island held more than enough food to feed an army, but the boys were only interested in chowing down on the chunky monkey. Elena sighed and grabbed a seat at the counter. Normally she would lay into Jeremy about his drug habits, or the mess he'd left, but right now she couldn't find it in her to care.

Her body was still blissfully sore from Damon, but her heart felt like someone had crushed it with a dump truck. So instead of worrying about how to be a good guardian, Elena reached for an untouched container of strawberry ice cream on the counter top.

_They must only want the chocolate_…she thought, and spoke to Jeremy for the first time since entering the house.

"Jer, a spoon please." She said her voice breaking, as she sunk farther down into the stool at the counter.

Jeremy looked up from his container, finally noticing Elena he dropped his spoon. The clanging sound alarmed Tyler from his own foodie stupor and he looked up as well. They took a moment to stare at Elena, and take in her appearance. Her hair was a curly wet mess on the top of her head, and her bra was visible through her wet light blue tank. For lack of a better term she looked like a drowned rat. Her face was downcast, defeated, and for the first time in months Jeremy was worried. He pulled out the silverware drawer and selected two new spoons, one for him and one for her. Then, as he handed her what she asked for, he hesitated. He knew silently that he could continue to act like he didn't care, but he also knew he hadn't seen Elena this broken in awhile.

"What's wrong Leena?" he asked keeping the spoon a small distance away as a bargaining chip. He knew she would answer for ice cream.

"Jer, I really don't have time for this. Just give me the spoon." She said back, annoyed at his newfound interest in her life.

"Elena, tell me." He said sternly.

Elena's eyes finally met her brothers, and she knew she couldn't hide the truth from him. She wanted to break down, tell him everything, to confide in someone and ask what she should do. Normally this was girlfriend SOS territory, but maybe it could be brother material too…

She sat weighing the pro's and cons to telling him that she just had sex with his prior boss…in the Quarry…oh man. She made up her mind not to, after all this was too much to say, especially in front of Tyler.

"Jeremy I can't," she said her eyes going to Tyler as he continued to gorge himself on ice cream and stare at her. Jeremy followed her gaze and connected the dots.

"Oh," he said turning to Tyler, "Hey man I gotta talk to my sister. Think you could give us a minute?" He asked waiting for Tyler to respond.

"Sure thing Jer. I'll just be upstairs in your room. Can I take the ice cream?" he asked waiting for Elena to tell him no.

"Sure Ty," Elena said, answering for her brother. She could really use some bro time.

At that Tyler made his way up the stairs, and Elena grabbed the spoon from Jeremy. Distraction she decided was key.

Jeremy sighed and said, "Ok you're not getting off the hook that easy."

"I know," Elena, said as she stood up and took her things to the couch. She decided she needed a spot with a little more comfort. Her brother followed her, leaving behind a very large mess in the kitchen that she wanted to forget about for the moment.

"What happened Elena?" Jeremy asked sitting down with his sister on the couch. She smiled to herself realizing that this had been the first time in months he had cared enough to sit with her. _He must be really buzzed, _she thought.

Jeremy continued, "Is this because of me loosing the job at the grill? Cause its going to be ok Elena. I'll go beg for it back today I promise."

"No its not that Jer, and don't worry I took care of it."

"What do you mean you 'took care of it'?" He asked sensing there was something she hadn't told him yet.

"I called Damon…I mean Mr. Salvatore last night. I had an interview at The Grill this morning and took your place." Elena said, hoping her brother would understand.

"Oh…well that was generous." He said scoffing. He had seen how Damon had looked at Elena, and something told him her appearance wasn't from her interview.

"Why do you look like that Elena? I can totally see your bra btw." He said shoving the nearest throw at his sister so she could cover up. Elena blushed taking the blanket and wrapping it around herself. She had forgotten how transparent this top could be when it was wet.

"After my interview I went for a swim down at the Quarry." She said blushing while she shoved ice cream in her mouth.

"OK….but that still doesn't explain why you look so depressed. What's really going on Leena? Do I need to go and kick someone's ass?"

"No Jer…well maybe…" she trailed off thinking _maybe mine_. "I don't know. I don't know how to explain." She said thinking of Stefan and Damon and how messed up this day really was. It was hard to process all these events happening in one day. The interview, the kiss, Stefan being Damon's half brother, the porch…the Quarry…Elena's thoughts were swirling and she couldn't distinguish them apart.

"Just start at the beginning, and tell me what's really bothering you." He said. Elena glanced up at him then knowing he was repeating what their father would have said.

"Stefan's back." She answered simply, taking another bite of her ice cream.

"What? WHERE IS THAT PRICK?! I'll kill him!" He said going to get off the couch. "Jeremy stop be quiet!" Elena said, pulling him back down shushing him. She didn't want Tyler to come downstairs, and she still needed to explain. She knew Jeremy had always hated Stefan, after how he used to treat her, and he had been there when Stefan had broken her heart. He wasn't about to let him hurt her again.

"Tell me you're not going back to that jackass!" Jeremy stated boldly waiting for her reply.

"I don't know Jer ok? I want to tell you what happened, but just don't get upset with me."

"I'm not!" Jeremy said and then sighed calming down and looked at Elena, " Ok I'll be good, just talk."

"Ok, but just let me get it all out before you interrupt me ok?" She said waiting for his response.

"Alright I promise, I won't say anything till you're done." He said waiting for her explanation.

"After you left last night, you know I had Caroline over. So before she got here, I knew I needed to fix things and I called up Damon. I told him we needed this job, and that I would take your spot." Elena paused waiting for her brother to respond, but he was still waiting for her to tell him why she was upset, and she still hadn't gotten there. "So anyways, I was told to come in for an interview this morning, which I did and then towards the end of the interview things got a little heated with Damon."

"What do you mean heated?" He asked her breaking his silence.

"He kissed me, I mean we kissed. I kissed him back."

"Was he good?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Jer…" she moaned embarrassed. It was hard enough telling this to her brother without having to answer questions like that. He nodded understanding that she had been more than willing.

"Go on, what happened next." He said hoping she would continue to tell him more.

"Stefan showed up, and then called Damon his brother and said he was glad he met his 'ex', and I was so mortified. I just ran out of there and came home. And then Stefan showed up and kissed me and I'm just so confused."

"So that's why you're upset? Let me get this straight, Damon kissed you and then Stefan came back, kissed you, and now they're related and you're freaking out?"

"Well yeah."

"Leena, I get that that would upset you but aren't you being a little dramatic? You haven't even seen Stefan in what a year? That douche doesn't have the right to kiss you let alone get you back, and that still doesn't explain why you're all wet."

Elena blushed not wanting to tell her little brother about her extracurricular sextivities.

"I told you I went for a swim." She said looking down into her container of half eaten ice cream, and hoping it would swallow her instead.

Jeremy studied her, and then spoke up asking the question he really didn't want the answer to. "Were you alone?"

"No." she said weakly.

"Which one?" He asked gently, waiting and hoping it wasn't Stefan. He knew he had broken her once, and he'd had to pick up the pieces. He really didn't want to do it again. He knew Damon, and although he could tell he was older, he really didn't have anything against the guy. After all he had covered for him on more than one occasion at The Grill, and he'd cared enough to come over and tell him off. Not many people would do that, at least none he knew.

Elena grew restless and squirmy. She hated talking to her brother about stuff like this it just felt awkward.

"Damon." She said finally, feeling a chill rush through her at the feeling of his name rolling off her tongue. Her body tightened remembering what he had made her feel, and her heart constricted at the thought of his last words.

'_You'll never get back what you lost.' _He'd said, and deep down she knew he'd been right.

"Then I don't see what the problem is. You should be happy right?" He said trying to make her feel better. "When's the last time you've been interested in a guy Leena? I mean it's been a LONG time."

"I know Jer…I just can't seem to get Stefan out of my head."

"Seriously? If he's the reason you're not going to pursue this I'm gonna kick _your _ass."

Elena chuckled at her brother's demeanor. He'd switched into protective mode, and she didn't think he was ever coming out of it.

"Ok Jer. Why do you hate Stefan so much?"

"Do you not remember what that asshat did to you? He hurt you deep Leena. Our parents had just died and he broke up with you. He's a complete dick. I don't trust the guy." He said, confessing.

"What are you trying to say Jer?" She questioned, waiting for some validation to why she shouldn't trust Stefan.

"I just know the guy too well, and you deserve better. I think you need to forget him Leena. Just be happy." He said, and with that he leaned forward and held her close. She sighed sagging into the familiar warmth of her brother's arms. He was so much bigger than her, six feet, brown hair, brown eyes, and burly arms that would knock any guy off his rocker. For the first time in a long time she felt safe in knowing he had her back.

"Thanks Jer, I'll try." She said taking a moment in his embrace.

After awhile she spoke again, "Thanks for this Jer. I like you better when you're like this."

"I know, I'm sorry I've been such a jerk." He said apologizing for their fight.

"It's ok Jer, I forgive you." She said, and with that planted a kiss on his forehead and got up from the couch.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Shower. I have got to get cleaned up if I want to be ready for work tomorrow." She said heading towards the stairs.

"Ok, you go take the shower and I'll call and ask when you come in tomorrow." He said with a smile.

"I appreciate that Jer thanks," she said heading up the stairs.

Jeremy pulled out his phone and dialed.

"We need to talk." He said into the phone.

"Shoot." Came Damon's reply. He had picked up in hopes that it was Elena instead he had gotten little Gilbert. Typical.

"Elena is hurt, and she doesn't hurt easily. You better do a better job of taking care of her than your asshat of a brother or I will make you regret it."

"Trust me Jeremy. No one wants her to be happy more than I do." He said into the phone with more emotion than he had planned.

"Good. I know she has a shift tomorrow. When did you schedule her in for?"

"10:00, she has training with the staff first. You should know that Jeremy you remember."

Jeremy cleared his throat, he had an idea and he was going to act on it. No way was he going to let his sister take on this job alone, especially with Stefan in town.

"Then you should expect two Gilberts instead of one." He said, hoping Damon got the message loud and clear.

"What do you mean two Gilberts?"

"Well as I understand it you're understaffed and 'I'm the only one who can train the new recruits' isn't that what you said Damon?"

"Well yeah but I fired you punk." Damon said with a smirk hoping for Jeremy to prove him wrong.  
"Well this punk is coming back to work, unless you have a problem with it."

"No problems here little Gilbert. Be here at 10:00 or your ass will be grass."

Jeremy chuckled into the phone at Damon's phrasing. He knew he was going to have to kiss up big time, but it was a small price to pay for protecting Elena.

"Ok boss I know, thank you."

"Hey Little Gilbert," Damon said with a more serious tone, "I'm giving you a second chance here and trusting you. Don't make me regret it."

"No sir." He said, and hung up. Damon took that to signify his consent.

*** OOH two Gilbert's at The Grill...with sexual Delena tension...this is going to be fun! :) Keep reading and reviewing! Thanks!**

**Happy New Year!**


	13. Chapter 13

"I'll get through it, but I'm only human and I bleed when I fall down. I'm only human, and I crash and I break down…"

~ Human, Christina Perri

Ch. 13

Elena made her way upstairs and peeled off the wet fabric of her tank. She sighed in relief as it came off, finally free of the damp material. It set goose bumps off along her flesh, and she was ready for a hot shower.

She stepped into her bathroom and grabbed for her towel. Quickly she turned on the shower, and peeled off the rest of her clothes. She made her way toward the hot spray. While inside, relief filled her senses as she washed her skin clean. With tension finally leaving her shoulders she found herself able to think again clearly. Jeremy had called Stefan a…dick? He could be rather brash sometimes. In fact she found herself drifting back towards memory lane remembering. He had hurt her the night her parents died, and of course apologized…but had he done it because he felt bad for their rough sex or because of her parents' death? She had never found out. She sighed to herself thinking aloud, "Maybe Damon is right…maybe I can't get back what I lost." She caught herself wishing she could just talk to Stefan. See how he felt. He clearly wanted to be with her again, and she felt it would be as easy as breathing. The only question that rose to her mind as she got out of the shower was: Did she want Stefan because it was easy? And easy she knew didn't necessarily mean right. She had more than him to consider and she knew it. Her heart beat faster remembering her twilight rendezvous at the Quarry.

_Damon._

Damon was clearly still interested in her, and she in him. She couldn't deny their attraction to each other. It sent shivers through her body just thinking about him, and she couldn't stop her thoughts from lingering on the possibility of him. Of his strength, and his easygoing nature. She liked so many things about him already, but was she really ready to move on?

Drying off she made a decision: She needed a friendtervention, and she needed one right now. She picked up her phone and she called the only two people who would understand, Bonnie and Caroline.

Bonnie picked up first, and luckily Caroline had been with her or this could have been a long night of phone tag.

"Hey! Their voices rang out, and Elena couldn't help but feel joy at their enthusiasm. She had missed both of them, and the strength they could give her.

"What are you ladies up to tonight?" Elena asked, wishing she could be with them. She sighed hating that this life always forced her to be responsible. It was beginning to weigh on her. She wished at moments she could quickly soak up the rest of her years as a teen while she still had them.

"Oh we're having to put together party favors for the great Ms. Forbes's Birthday Party, and Caroline is taking it way too far."

"Hey she's my mom ok? This party has to be perfect. So hurry up Bonnie, and make those ribbons have personality…"

"Oh I'll give your bows personality." Said Bonnie as Elena heard rustling imagining her hitting her with one of the bows.

"When is that again?" asked Elena, she knew it had to be fairly soon if Caroline was in her control freak mode.

"You remember Elena, it's next month. You are still coming aren't you?" Caroline stated into the phone.

"Of course." Elena said making note of it in her phone to not forget.

"So what's up Elena, please tell me it's something more interesting than the right ribbon color." Said Bonnie trying to get a rise out of Caroline.

Before she could comment Elena dove into the real reason she called. She made sure to clarify everything that had happened with Damon before, and after Caroline had been with her. Then went on to explain the interview, and the fact that Stefan had burst in unannounced claiming to be Damon's brother. At that both girls gasped.

"Brothers? As in…blood?" asked Bonnie.

"Well technically I guess they're only half brothers; same mother with different fathers. I really haven't had a chance to get the full story on that yet." Elena said hoping it would help. She still had yet to tell them about the rest of the afternoon…

"Oh…well that's still a bombshell but the real question is does it bother you Elena?" asked Caroline. Elena knew she could always count on her to get to the root of the problem.

"Well I don't think so. I mean so far they seem completely different, and I really didn't think about them being related until after." Elena said without thinking.

Bonnie caught wind right off.

"After what Elena?"

Crap. Elena thought, now she would have to be honest. She knew she could confide in them, but apart of her was still ashamed about moving so fast with Damon. She didn't want them to judge her, but she decided she needed to. Who else could she tell?

"After…ok I wasn't being completely honest. A lot has happened today and I need you both to promise me you will try to be as open minded as possible."

"Of course Elena," said Bonnie, "we're always here for you."

Elena waited to hear from Caroline. She knew this would be hard for her because she always seemed to want to tell her what to do. She was relieved to hear her words come next,

"Elena if there's something on your heart we want to know what it is. We aren't going to judge you or make you feel bad. Its not our place."

"Ok well I kissed Damon during the interview." She said hoping to ease them in.

"Wow." Said Bonnie

"Who started it?" asked Caroline.

"Well I guess it was mutual. I told you Caroline, panties dropping hot remember? He's just so…God I can't explain it. I just can't think clearly when I'm around him."

"So basically you just want to jump his bones?" asked Caroline bluntly. She heard Bonnie gasp and then smack her with something.

"Ouch. Look it's not hard to understand. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy…sex."

"Well it got a little complicated." said Elena.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we were interrupted by Stefan claiming to be my ex."

"OH…" both of the girls said on the other end of the phone. She knew she had their attention now.

"But wait there's more."

"How could there be more?" said Bonnie.

"I went home after running out of the interview and Stefan showed up. He said he was here for his mother's property and whatever else was his, and then he kissed me."

After that there was a long pause. Both girls stared at each other wondering how to respond best. It all mattered how Elena felt. If she wanted him to kiss her, then they would try to be supportive, but both of them also knew how Stefan had left her. Neither of them was ready to welcome him with open arms, and both of them were silently wishing for what came next.

"And I felt nothing. Which was weird because I was certain I would. I used to dream about him coming back and doing exactly that, but it wasn't as easy."

"You mean it wasn't as easy because it was different." Said Bonnie connecting something together in her mind. She had a hunch and she was hoping she was right.

"What do you mean by different?" asked Elena. She had never thought about looking at Stefan differently. He was her first love, and she was certain she knew everything about him and how he would make her feel.

"Well you didn't know what good was yet." Said Caroline brashly interrupting them. Bonnie glared at her, and took over again.

"Elena, just forget about Stefan for a minute. How did you feel with Damon?"

"How can you even compare the two of them?" Elena asked

"Just answer the question," said Caroline loosing her patience, she knew Elena couldn't possibly be this stupid.

"Being with Damon was…hot. My whole body just took over, and I can't remember ever feeling that out of control. He just consumed me, and I lost myself in him."

"And with Stefan you felt nothing?" Bonnie asked, hoping to get Elena to see the difference

"But Stefan was my first love."

"Yes Elena, but he also broke your heart, and before you make any decisions I just want you to remember that something that drastic is going to change you." Said Bonnie finally getting out what she wanted to say.

"I know it changed me Bonnie," said Elena. She had known it earlier that day. She even remembered deciding she wouldn't want to be with him anymore because she was different. "I just...I got so confused."

"Why? You said you didn't feel anything after Stefan kissed you, and from what you told us about Damon. Well sorry to be blunt but there doesn't seem to be a contest." Stated Caroline cutting into another bow.

"Then I guess I should tell you what happened later at the Quarry." Elena puffed out lying on her bed and pulling her covers close. She needed to be brave while reliving this part of the story.

"The Quarry? Wait slow your roll." Said Caroline grabbing the phone from Bonnie's lap and looking at it intensely.

"You never mentioned anything about the Quarry. What did Stefan do to you? You didn't sleep with him did you? ELENA!" Caroline almost screamed, while Bonnie wrestled the phone from her grasp.

"Chill Caroline," said Bonnie, "just let Elena tell us what happened."

"No not with Stefan..." Elena said.

Caroline breathed a sigh of relief, and then Elena followed up with, "with Damon."

"You what?!" squealed Caroline, "Damon and you…did the nasty? How was he?" she asked.

Elena blushed. She knew she was going to have to fess up, and she also knew Caroline would want every detail. But something inside tugged at her, telling her she wanted this moment private, that she almost needed to hold it close to her heart. She didn't want to share what she had felt with Damon, because it was almost too personal.

She couldn't believe what she was thinking. She had never kept anything from these girls. They had been with her through so much, and she owed them this. She owed them the truth.

"It was passionate, and amazing, and when it was over I couldn't help but feel ashamed, and terrified."

"Why?" both girls blurted out at once.

"Because for one, it happened too fast. I don't even know how old he is, what his favorite color is."

"Technicalities." Said Caroline. Bonnie poked her and mouthed for her to shut up.

"But it's important to me!" Elena exclaimed, "The only other person I've ever had sex with was Stefan, and I practically tarnished his memory right there. It was the Quarry! You guys know that's where we used to go, and they're brothers, and it felt all kinds of wrong."

"God, just admit it Elena. Ok you wanted Damon in spite of this brother crap." stated Caroline matter of factly.

"I can't Caroline. If I admit it. If I even thought it for just a second. What does that say about me?"

"I says you're human Leena." She stated leaving Elena to continue with her explanation.

Elena let out a breath, and held it in waiting for the judgment daggers to come.

"So lets think about this. You went to the Quarry and had sex with Damon." Stated Bonnie, she had always been the more logical one. "And then you thought about Stefan, and freaked out I'm sure, so what happened next?"

"What do you mean?" Elena asked, not understanding why they needed more information. She felt she had just spilled everything she needed to in front of them.

"What Bonnie is trying to ask Elena, is how did you leave things with Damon?" came Caroline's voice loudly from the phone.

"I told him to take me home, and he wanted to know why, and then got upset…" she said drifting off remembering.

"Clearly." Said Caroline, both girls hanging on her every word.

"And when he asked why I was acting this way, I explained about Stefan and I being there together before."

"Wait you did what?" Asked Bonnie, shocking both Caroline and Elena.

"I told him I had been there with Stefan…like that before." Elena said again hoping she wouldn't have to repeat it a third time.

"No I heard you I just can't believe you did that to him."

"What? What do you mean Bonne?"

"I mean he was probably blissfully happy and then you cut him off at the knees by comparing him to his brother."

"Yeah…I felt terrible and then he tried to fight for me and it just made me cry."

"Aww he fought for you?" Came Caroline's reply.

"Yeah he said I should stop holding on to Stefan, that I would never get back what I lost, and that he would still be here."

Both girls sighed silently, wishing for Elena to see that he was a good one. Both girls looked at each other and nodded, knowing they needed to speak their peace.

"Elena," both of them said at once. They giggled, "You go ahead." Said Bonnie, she knew whatever Caroline was about to say was something she would approve of.

"Elena, you know we love you but you need to let this Stefan thing go. Damon is clearly interested, and bonus hasn't broken your heart. You may not remember this but when you were with Stefan there wasn't any passion. You worried about it constantly and came to us with issues you two had. There wasn't a day that went by you didn't come to us for advice on what you should do. It seems like you have something really special with Damon, and I don't think you should ruin it just because you're scared."

"Exactly." echoed Bonnie into the phone.

"I'm not scared." Elena said weakly…knowing they were right.

"Of course you are," came Bonnie's reply, "You are scared of getting hurt. You're feeling things from Damon that are stronger than Stefan, and you don't want to get hurt, but Elena that's what love is! It's a risk, and you need to take this risk with him."

"What if I'm not ready? What if he doesn't even want me anymore?" Elena said meekly waiting for Caroline to pipe in, which she did soon after.

"He will. He just needs to know you want him too. Trust me it won't take much if he's as consumed with you as you say he is. I'm sure he'd be more than willing." At that all of them giggled, and continued talking about other things.

Elena hung up an hour later, and sunk into her bed for sleep. She knew they had been right, and she cursed herself for not seeing before that it really hadn't been Stefan she wanted, but the idea of him. She knew somewhere inside it had really just been a mask. She was lying to herself to protect herself, and she was hurting her and Damon in the process.

As she drifted off to sleep, blue eyes and raven hair filled her thoughts, and she sighed hoping it was not too late to change her mind.

* * *

Elena woke up the next day with a new resolution: today would be different. She promised herself she would somehow make it through the day, that she would smile, and it would be believable. She groggily walked to the restroom her and Jeremy shared and let herself in, unaware that her brother was occupying it.

"Oh sorry Jer." She mumbled out.

"Hey no worries, I'm done. You have to get a move on Elena. Its 9, and we have an hour before we have to be at work."

"We?" Elena asked looking at Jeremy with a puzzled expression. He had been fired, she was sure of it.

"I'm coming in with you, I got my job back last night."

"You what?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yup, I called Damon last night and he said we both needed to be in by 10 or my 'ass was grass' so get a move on." He said leaning in front of the mirror to make sure his eyes didn't look as puffy as they had last night. _Damn I need to stop getting high on the weekdays, _he thought.

"Ok then move it Jer I need to get ready!" She said shooing him away from the counter so she could brush her teeth.

"Chill ok? It's not like you're going on a date. It's just work sis."

"I know Jer, get out!" she said as he left the room sticking his tongue out and shouting that he would be ready to go soon and she should be ready too.

Elena groaned at the prospect of working with Jeremy. His track record with responsibility hadn't been the best, and she dreaded him letting her down again. Although she also knew it would take the tension off of having to face Damon alone, and for once she was grateful to have him with her. She hoped having Jeremy there would be a healthy distraction for all of them.

In a few moments she was ready and came back into the restroom to look herself over one last time. Standard uniform for the Grill had been black pants and navy shirt. Elena decided on some skinny black jeans, black boots, and a navy V-neck tee. She looked into the mirror at herself and pulled her hair back into a low ponytail. On the outside she knew she looked ready, while on the inside she sighed knowing she was a wreck. She felt like she had ruined things with Damon and she wished with all her might to make them right again.

Coming down the stairs and heading out the door with Jeremy she was surprised to find that for the first time she welcomed the day thinking, _I will see him again_.

***Author's Note****

**Ok so this chapter was really just a realization for Elena. I think all of us girls have been here. Wanting to move on but afraid of love and getting hurt. I think its a main concept for Elena because she has lost her parents so young, and she knows the pain of losing someone you love. So hopefully this new relationship she wants with Damon will continue to grow. Next chapter we'll see how he's feeling about all of this drama, and hopefully get a glimpse into work for Elena at The Grill. :)**

***I also really loved writing another girlfriend scene introducing Bonnie more Caroline :)**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! Read/Review**


	14. Chapter 14

"I wanna give you something better. Better than you've ever had." Kiwi, Maroon 5

Ch. 14

Damon awoke the next day hating himself. He knew Alaric would be back today, and it would be up to him to explain that they now had two Gilberts instead of one. Figuring this was going to be a long day he went through his morning routine at a sluggish pace. He took his time in the shower washing his hair, and licking his proverbial wounds. He cursed himself silently for failing to take a shower without his mind thinking of her.

_Elena…_

Memories of their stolen moment at The Falls were all that filled his mind. Her playfulness, and the easiness of their smiles was all he could think about. Their shared kisses, and her throaty moans seem to mock him, echoing in the silence around him.

Yesterday had been a rollercoaster of events, and he was unprepared to say the least of seeing her and her brother in a few short minutes. He exhaled in frustration against the shower wall. How was he supposed to even think straight around Elena when all he could remember where her legs wrapped around his waist?

Shutting off the shower he grabbed for a towel in earnest. Seeking to dry off quickly and get dressed so he could get this day over and done with. He rummaged through his drawers pulling out a black button up, and shrugging on some dark jeans. He slipped on his shoes and made his way downstairs, ready to go. He stopped at the door to stare again at the manila envelope taunting him.

Damon had come home last night to Stefan's summons for a court hearing on his front porch. The envelope, he'd assumed had been dropped off earlier while he'd been otherwise occupied with Elena. Knowing exactly what that envelope entailed didn't exactly set him off in the right mood, and he'd spent most of the night drowning his sorrows with a bottle of bourbon, and thoughts of Elena. Now, seeing the damned thing again, he had to go to work angry. Which was something he knew he did not want to be on a day like today. He left it there slamming the door behind him. He locked up and headed for his car, as his phone rang in his back pocket. He winced knowing it had to be Rick. He pulled his phone out and answered it while starting his car.

"What?" he puffed out.

"Damon, its Rick. I just got back into The Grill, and looked over the interview. Looks like Elena will be a good hire after all. Can she start today?"

Damon rolled down the road answering in his best business tone, "Yes, I told her to come in for work today at 10. I know we need to start training as soon as possible."

"Great, helps me out a lot bud, I appreciate it."

"Sure thing, and Rick?" he asked, knowing he needed to tell him about Jeremy.

"Jeremy offered to come back. I know his track record is spotty but I could really use the extra hands," Damon said nearing the town square.

"Are you sure you want to do that Damon? I thought you were pretty set on having him out of your hair."

"Leave my hair out of it. It's a business transaction nothing more. We need more employees it's as simple as that."

"Alright, sounds good I'll put in his payroll paperwork again. You on your way in?"

"I just got here boss, see you in a bit."

Damon said putting the breaks on Old Faithful. He put her in park, and glanced up taking in a breath.

Across the way he saw Elena and Jeremy getting out of their black SUV. From the looks of it Jeremy had driven, which surprised him. He knew Jeremy was the younger one of the two, and he wondered if Elena's emotions had any reason for avoiding the drive. He couldn't help but study her demeanor as she walked towards the Grill. Her eyes glistening with emotion as her feet stamped the ground with determination.

He got out of his car with a smirk, racing to beat them to the door.

"Well hello little Miss I'm on a mission." He said, startling her to look up into his piercing blue eyes.

Her breath caught at the sight of him. Today he'd chosen to dress for work in a button up black shirt, and dark wash jeans, with matching boots. She assumed this was his normal attire, and she caught herself smiling remembering the night they first met.

"Hello Damon." She said as he grabbed for the door and let them in.

"Beauty first," he said with a wink. Elena's cheeks flushed pink while Jeremy rolled his eyes and entered into the Grill.

Elena took in the atmosphere before her. The space, she decided almost looked abandoned in the mornings. With the chairs up, floors cleared, and everything cleaned it reminded her of a ghost town. The only sounds she could hear were coming from the back where the Chef's were beginning their early baking. Elena also began to notice other workers doing odd jobs around the restaurant. Matt Donovan, one of the many, stood off into the distance refilling salt and peppershakers. Seeing Elena he gave her his best welcoming smile. She shrugged and smiled back, feeling both nervous and weak. She didn't know what this day would hold but something told her she needed to be ready for anything.

Both Gilberts stilled as they saw Alaric Saltzman coming towards them.

"Hey guys, heard you two were here to help me out." came Alaric's voice. At the sight of her new boss, Elena tried to stifle a laugh as she took in his appearance. He seemed to have soaked up too many rays of sun at the beach. His skin was now a flaming hot red. She could tell he'd tried to cover his skin as much as possible with a long sleeved cotton shirt, but she could still make out red marks covering the back of his neck.

"Ouch, Rick what happened to you?" Damon said from behind them. Elena blushed at the feeling of his body behind hers.

"I fell asleep in the sun ok? It could happen to anyone." Rick spat towards Damon.

"But it didn't happen to just anyone…it happened to you." Damon said looking at him with humor in his eyes.

"Yeah ok Mr. 'I'll just have one drink behind the bar', until I find you passed out in the back with the bottle." Rick shot back taking a step towards Damon.

"Hey, that was one time!" Damon retorted in defense glancing at Elena and seeing her bemused expression.

"That was last week."

Jeremy cleared his throat sensing that this could be a long conversation, and he knew Elena needed to get started.

"Right we have work to do. Jeremy I'll need you to come with me so we can fill out some paper work. Elena, Damon will show you the ropes." Rick said taking Jeremy to the back office leaving Damon and Elena alone.

"Well, that's just great. Guess I'm on Elena patrol." Damon said turning towards her.

Elena's heart skipped a beat as his eyes raked over her. She could've sworn she heard him stifle a moan as his eyes grazed across her body.

Damon was done for. Looking at Elena he had decided then and there that she made a uniform for the Grill look sinfully good. Her black jeans were practically painted on, and her navy tee clung to all the right curves. He couldn't stop his eyes from glancing to her lips, and he automatically licked his own imagining her kiss and, remembering her soft caress against his skin.

"Damon," she said holding his blue gaze.

"Uh huh." He said like a dumb struck fool.

"Don't you need me to do something for you?"

_God yes_. Damon thought darkly, although he knew what her true meaning was, his body didn't seem to give a damn. He knew she might not want him, but he was more than prepared to prove her wrong, and right now he had the perfect distraction.

"Yes, follow me." He said leading her towards the back of the restaurant.

Elena followed Damon through two metal doors and took in the back kitchen. To her right was were the windows for orders were, and where the main chef prepared the food. To the left was the washroom and storage space for plates and cutlery. Stoves and grills burned with heat and an enticing aroma filled the air.

"This is where the magic happens." Damon declared, turning around to look at Elena.

"Burgers and other entrees are made over here," he gestured to the side where food was being prepared. "And over here is where we clean up. Dishwashers here are generally the staff, unless we are using this bad boy." He said leading her to the other half of the room where she could see the machine he was pointing to.

"This is the industrial dishwasher, and its used for the plates, and silverware."

"Ok sounds easy enough to remember." Elena said.

"Now the important thing to know though is you need to stack the trays with plates, and then slide them in between the machine. You only pull down on the handle until it beeps and then bring it back up. If you don't the machine like many things…can get…overheated." He said coming up behind her and bringing her arm up to grasp the handle above their heads.

"Follow my lead." He said into her ear, and Elena couldn't stop the chill from going across her body.

Damon grabbed the bar, holding Elena's hand under his and had them pull down together. Steam enveloped them for a moment, causing a heated sensation to pass over them. Elena could've sworn she felt Damon inhale her scent as she leaned back into him. Both of them sighed, feeling a magnetic pull to be together.

A moment later the machine was beeping and bringing both of them out of their heated thoughts. Damon took control, pulling the bar back up over their heads, and telling Elena, "Now when you open it you have to slide out what's ever inside, to make room for more."

Elena gulped, knowing that he was discussing the washing machine but thinking of something else entirely.

"Alright, I got it. You said that the staff is supposed to wash dishes? Where would I be doing that?"

"Over here." said Damon leading her to a large washbasin next to the drying plates, and silverware. "Normally we use this center to wash the bigger stuff like pots and pans by hand. So if something is too large to go into the machine we wash it here." Damon said leaning against the sink casually waiting for her response.

"Seems simple enough." She said.

"Alright then you'll need some gloves, and one of these," he said as she watched him take a sponge and pour dish liquid over it. She knew he wasn't trying to be erotic, but the sight of Damon with suds on his hands had caused her panties to go wet with desire.

"Come over here a minute," he said handing her the sponge. "Now its tradition at The Grill for your first job to be in the washroom. Lame I know but think of it as your initiation into the Grill club." He said smirking and handing her a large baking sheet. Elena took the metal pan and placed it into the basin. She slid the yellow gloves on, and turned on the water. Then she began to scrub the brown residue off of the pan. Watching her, Damon decided he couldn't wait any longer. He quietly slid up behind her, and grasped her waist. He molded his body to hers and tried to fight the idea that sprung into his head about a missing puzzle piece.

Feeling Damon behind her, Elena's hands dropped the pan. It fell with a clang into the sink, as she felt his breath graze her ear.

"No don't stop," he said gruffly into her ear, and Elena shakily went to pick up the pan in the sink. "You're going to wash the pan, and I'm going to be standing right here to observe you." He said into her ear. Elena's core throbbed as she felt his growing erection on her backside. His proximity alone had her aching to touch him, and she hated having to have her hands occupied with something else.

"I know you want me Elena…" Damon said huskily whispering in her ear, "I want you too. You can't fight it. I know you feel it...this desire we have between us." He said as she felt his right hand dip down towards her center. "I'm going to prove it."

Elena couldn't believe this was happening, and looked up to make sure no one was around. "Don't worry we have privacy," he said sliding his fingers across her smooth skin and going under the barrier of her black pants. His fingers dipped lower still until he found the bottom of her moist undies. He smirked knowing he'd affected her, and taking pleasure in the feeling of her under his hand. His lips grazed the base of her throat and he sucked on her sensitive flesh. She practically came apart in his hands.

"Oh Damon…" she groaned almost dropping the pan again.

"Keep washing," he commanded while his hand continued its path down her pants. He was pleasantly surprised to discover that she had worn some very thin lacy panties today. He yearned to see them, but knew that in this position he was only after one thing. He pushed the fabric aside feeling her slick wet folds. Her body arching back towards his throbbing manhood, and he breathed out,

"God, you're so wet for me Elena."

Elena's head bobbed up and down answering him, as she struggled to find words. The feeling of his skin on hers was almost too much for her to bear.

"I love feeling you…. Elena…I need you to show me how much you want me,"

"I want you Damon. Please," she said practically begging for him to touch her where she needed it most.

Knowing what she wanted, he slid his fingers across her warm sensitive flesh and found her trembling bundle of nerves. His thumb rubbed across it as his fingers went lower finding her entrance.

"Tell me what you want me to do." he said huskily breathing in her scent.

Elena moaned in frustration, he really wanted her to say it? Blushing she answered softly, "I need you inside me."

Damon smiled as he slowly inserted a finger inside of her and felt her walls contract around him. "Damn, you're so tight baby," he said in wonder as Elena lost control and the pan fell again inside the sink. Her hands clutched the sides of the basin as waves of pleasure washed over her. Damon disregarded the pan and began grinding against her backside, his pants throbbing with need behind her, and she soon found her hips meeting against his with ease. Pleasure shot through Elena from below and she moaned loving how he was making her feel. Damon needed her but he also knew he wanted to make her scream his name, just once, to change her mind.

"Tell me what this reminds you of…" He said, curling his finger inside of her and finding her sweet spot. Elena bit her lip to suppress her moans of pleasure.

"Elena? Does it make you remember me inside you?" he asked while a small moan escaped her lips, her center throbbing for release, "Remember how I filled you to the brink? How I thrusted in and out of that sweet wet cunt?" He said while moving another finger in and sliding it in an out of her while his thumb stroked her clit. "Does it Elena? I can feel you shaking underneath me. I know you want more…ask me for more…" He demanded drawing her ear lobe in between his teeth as her hips jerked back and forth for release. It was so hot, hearing him say these things in her ear. She knew she wanted him, and needed him now. It didn't matter to her that she was at work, or that anyone could come in at any moment, her only thought was Damon.

Without warning Elena turned her body around so that she removed Damon's hand from her. She faced him and their eyes met. She gasped as she took in his smoldering stare and wound their bodies together curling her leg around his so that it anchored his body to hers. Her hands grasped his head to pull him forward as she claimed his soft lips with her own, and ran her gloved fingers through his soft hair. She smiled as she heard a moan escape his throat. Fighting for release, Elena ground her hips up to his and felt Damon's strong hands lifting her up to rest on the edge of the basin behind her. The new position had her center lined up with Damon's erection, and Elena thrusted against his hips as she neared her climax. Damon's lips continued to move over hers as he slid his tongue inside her mouth, and Elena came undone.

"Say my name..." he said removing his lips from hers and resting his forehead against her, while feeling her body convulse in pleasure.

"Damon…" she breathed out as she came back to earth.

He smiled and kissed her one last time, feeling triumph in knowing he had been the one to make her come apart.

"Oh shit. I know I'm not seeing this right now."

Came a voice behind them, and they both tore their lips apart to see Alaric Saltzman, and boy did he look pissed.

******Note

**Uh oh...guess someone found them tangled up in the suds...but it was so much fun writing! Please continue to comment/review on my stories it completely makes my day.**

**I hope you're enjoying the horny delena show...I know this was mainly smut, but that's kinda what has to come first before the explosion right? Anyways thanks for reading and I hope I can post again soon. Thanks!**


	15. Chapter 15

"You only know, what I want you to.

I know everything you don't want me to." Poison &amp; Wine, The Civil Wars

Ch. 15

"Oh you gotta be kidding me." Damon said as he sighed and unwound Elena from his body.

"Damon, I would like to see you in my office." Rick chocked out. He continued to gape at the sight before him. Damon's hands wound Elena's waist and their bodies connected from the waist down. Both of their eyes fixed on him like they'd been caught in the cookie jar.

"Now!" Rick yelled, turning to look at Elena he added, "Elena, you're going to finish all the pans that are in that sink. You might not be aware of this but relationships between employees is prohibited. Due to this little stunt you're already on probation. Break is at noon. Try not to disappoint me again." Elena nodded curtly in silence as Damon turned to leave.

Suddenly Rick was gone behind the two metal doors with Damon close behind him. Elena sighed in disappointment. She wanted to continue their heated moment, and something told her Damon did too. He staggered toward the double doors pausing for a moment to turn around and face her.

"Later…" he said and disappeared behind the doors.

Elena breathed and sunk against the basin behind her. It was only then she realized that the water was still running and steam was filling the room around her. She smirked to herself remembering the steamy encounter she had just had.

She turned towards the sink and picked up the next pan on the rack, determined to keep her job. She needed this for her and Jeremy, and she couldn't believe how reckless she had just been. Damon's reckless behavior had cost them so much, but she was surprised to find how free it had made her feel. She couldn't help it; being around Damon had consumed her completely. Elena breathed grabbing for the nearest sponge that had fallen to the floor. She chose to attempt to clear her head of heated thoughts with his hands on her. She had a task and she was going to finish it. Hopefully.

* * *

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Alaric practically screamed as Damon shut the door to the office.

"Well I believe I was thinking we wouldn't get caught." He said honestly smirking at his friend and hoping his blue eyes would get him out of this hot water he had gotten himself into.

"Seriously Damon? She's Jeremy's sister, a new employee, and did I mention she's just out of high school, and completely off limits?"

Damon looked up at Alaric with an icy stare.

"Last I checked she was a legal adult." Damon shot back, while crossing his arms. No one was going to tell him who to love. Especially Alaric.

"You better not be telling me what I think you're telling me."

"I think you need to take a beat from Elena."

"Excuse me?"

"I think whatever you two have going on here is a bad idea."

"I don't really think that's your problem Rick."

"It is my problem. Elena is my responsibility, and I need to look after her. This is me doing that."

"What do you think I'm doing?" Damon asked in disbelief. His top priority had become Elena, and he was going to make sure of that from now on.

"I think you need to take a beat if you want to keep your job here."

Damon's arms dropped to his sides and took a step toward Rick.

"Fine Rick whatever you want. Just know that you might control what goes on here, but that's where your influence ends. Elena and I are no longer going to be your primary concern."

"Damon, I'm your friend."

"I'm aware of that."

"And I know that you get this way, but Elena can't be one of your next conquests."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I'm a lot more connected to her than you think." Rick said pulling his hand up over his face and squeezing the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Rick, what aren't you telling me?" Damon asked waiting to hear what Rick could possibly know about Elena to make him change his mind.

"She's my daughter, Damon." Alaric sighed in relief, as the weight on his schoulders began to lift.

"Oh." Damon said taking a step back with a puzzled expression on his face.

"But I thought her parents died in a accident?" Damon questioned adding, "She told me that she's Jeremy's guardian."

"That's just it, she has temporary guardianship, the courts granted to her only because they know she's adopted."

"She's what?"

"Her mother, Isobel and I were high school sweethearts. We had a baby too young, and the Gilberts had been trying for years to have a child. Grayson even helped keep the adoption under wraps. Few people in the community truly know about this." Alaric sunk in to the office chair, waiting for Damon's reply.

"Does she know?" Damon asked.

"No, she still believes Grayson and Miranda were her parents, and as far as she knows they were. They raised her for God sakes." He said leaning back.

"Shit. I knew you'd gotten into some trouble back then, but I didn't know you'd had a kid. Why didn't you tell me?" Damon asked. They'd grown up together after all. They were a good ten years apart in age, but that hadn't been an issue in the past.

"You were in middle school Damon, I thought I'd spare you from the turmoil of my mistakes."

Damon suddenly felt like he needed a drink, a stiff one. He couldn't believe Elena's true father was sitting right across the room from him. He was sure he hadn't appreciated the suds show, but something told him if he knew how far they'd really gone he'd kill him.

He cleared his throat and rose from his chair, "Well assuming I still have a job here, I'm going to help myself to a drink." He said rising and heading towards the door.

"You do, as long as you keep your distance from her. Damon I'm serious, she means more to me than you know."  
"If you truly meant that you'd tell her the truth." Damon spat as he closed the door and headed towards the bar.

* * *

Elena slid her gloves off and headed out of the kitchen. It was finally noon, which meant break time, or more importantly, Damon time. She opened door only to have the metal come into contact with something solid, and Elena closed her eyes waiting for the sound of plates clashing or someone telling her off. Instead she simply heard a,  
"Whoa, Lena watch it!" from Matt

"Sorry Matt," she said opening her eyes and seeing that his tray was perfectly intact upon his shoulders.

"You on your break?" He asked as she stood there holding open the door to the kitchens, and staring at him.

"Oh, yeah," she said, her eyes scanning the room for Damon.

"Do you know where to go?" he asked.

"What?" she replied, distracted from scanning the room, and finding a lunch rush instead of him.

"Well I figured you wouldn't know where to go to eat. I usually just ask the guys in back to grill me a burger. I'll get your order in for you. I remember what you like," he added winking and walking into the kitchens, "I'll have them bring it to you at the bar." He stated walking farther into the chaos of the kitchen.

"Thanks Matt!" she yelled, as he waved from behind the line of plates she had stacked earlier. She moaned examining the damage on her hands from this morning. Her fingers were wrinkled and blistered from all the dishes she had been washing for the past two hours. As she made her way to the bar she also noticed her back, and feet throbbing in pain from standing and bending over the dishwasher. She practically cried tears of relief as she found a stool at the bar and sunk down. Her feet resting on the bar below, she crossed her arms and laid her head down, closing her eyes for a moment while she waited for Matt to bring her food.

"Rise and shine sleepyhead." Came a familiar throaty voice.

Elena smiled and opened her eyes into two blue ones staring right back at her.

"Damon," she said huskily, longing lining her voice.

"What'll it be?" he asked from behind the bar.

Elena drank him in. He seemed to be in his element back there, and something told her he had done this a few times.

"What do you got?" she asked.

Damon gave her a smirk, and took a step closer to her. Leaning over the counter he replied, "I think you know."

Elena blushed remembering that she did in fact know what he had to offer. She squeezed her thighs together, attempting to stifle the need growing in between her legs.

"Damon…we can't. Rick will have my job in ten seconds."

"Let me worry about Rick ok? Take a time out for five minutes."

"Then grab me a beer." she said cockily leaning back into the stool, putting distance in between them.

Damon almost pouted as he looked at her questioningly.

"What, you said time out remember? For five minutes. Well that five minutes is going to need a beer."

Damon smirked, loving her sass, and grabbed them both a bottle from the cooler behind him. As he was taking off the lids, Matt appeared with her burger and fries.

"Here you go Leena." He said, laying the plate in front of her.

"Thank you Matt. You're the best." She said diving into her fries and giving him a world class Gilbert smile. Matt practically blushed as he returned to work.

"Here you go." Damon said setting down her bottle. He fought the surge of jealousy filling his veins at the sight of Elena smiling at Donovan. He hated that guy…

"What?" Elena asked noticing Damon's icy glare towards Matt's retreating back.

"Nothing, eat your burger." He said grabbing his bottle and taking a swig.

"Ok," Elena replied reaching for her bottle, and toppling it over instead.

Damon, noticing the bottle heading towards the ground grabbed it before it hit the floor.

Elena gasped, "Nice save." She stated as he handed her the bottle, making sure her hand was around it before releasing it.

She giggled to herself for the common mistake, she could be so clumsy sometimes.

"I like you, you know how to laugh," Damon said across from her, surprising her with his change in mood. She somehow had thought he'd be bothered by her klutziness.

", and you make me smile which is something that hasn't happened in a very long time." He said leaning across the bar. Elena paused and took a bite of her cheeseburger processing his words.

"Why is that?" she asked intrigued by his forwardness to share.

"Like you I've had my own fair share of tragedy." He stated, taking another sip from his beer.

"What kind of tragedy?" she asked.

"I lost my mother few years back, but I'm sure Stefan told you that." He said shrugging and wiping off the counter with a stray rag under the bar avoiding her eyes.

Elena's brain flashed back to reality and realized that she had in fact remembered being there for Stefan. She had known he'd lost his mother, but somehow she hadn't made the connection from Stefan to Damon until now.

"How did she die?" she asked carefully, hoping not to upset him any further. She knew how hard it had been for her to discuss her parents' death, and Stefan had never wanted to speak to her about it.

"Cancer, she had contracted it my first year in college. I always assumed it was because of the stress she'd been put through in the divorce."

"What happened Damon? I mean if you don't mind me asking, how are you and Stefan related?" she asked warily. She wanted to know more about him, but she knew that a bar was hardly the place for it.

"My father, Giuseppe Salvatore was her husband, and a controlling dick. I can say that because I knew he was. He left my mom alone a lot, and I never really saw him as father of the year. When I was around six she met and had an affair with John McGuire, which in turn brought about Stefan. You can imagine how that went over at home. Father was furious, and left her. I was seven years old when she had Stefan."

"I knew he'd lost his mother, but I didn't' put it together until now. I'm sorry Damon."

Damon looked up from his bottle with questioning eyes.

"You lost her too." She continued, grabbing his hand and giving him a comforting smile.

He smiled back stating, "It was a long time ago." He shrugged adding, "I don't think it ever goes away, missing the ones you love. All you know is that there's a hole in your heart where someone you loved was supposed to be."

Elena felt her heart contract as she heard him talk about his mother. She knew exactly how he felt, and she couldn't help feeling an unfathomable connection to him. Her thumb continued to stroke the smooth skin of his hand as her eyes bore into his. She wanted to take away his pain. The pain she had felt for so long. The kind that she knew could cripple you forever.

"Damon, I know you must hear this all the time, but I really do understand how you feel." Elena said.

"I know." He replied looking into her eyes. He noticed a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail drifting in front of her eyes, and reached to stoke it off her face. He smiled as he heard a hitch in her breath again as their skins met once more. Flashes of their shared moments rushed through Elena's mind and she suddenly longed to be closer to him.

"Well isn't this cozy." Came a voice from beside her, and Elena cringed knowing who it was. Damon's hand dropped and his face turned firm and uninviting.

"Hello brother." Came Damon's reply from behind the counter, as Stefan McGuire took a seat next to Elena forming a very awkward triangle.

****NOTE******

**Well there's the explosion. Tell me what you think about Elena's father being Alaric. I just really hated the idea of her with a father as horrible as Jonathan Gilbert so I improvised. Hope you like the fluff and backstory from Damon as well. Next up is more Stefan/Damon/Elena angst. Who's ready?! lol. ~iHeart1202**


	16. Chapter 16

"What we got is straight overdue, go find somebody new…if your lips are moving then your lyin, lyin, lyin baby."~Meghan Trainor, Lips Are Movin'

Ch.16

"What are you doing here Stefan?" Damon asked while shooting icy glares through his brother. Elena was his, and he was prepared to keep it that way. He didn't need Stefan swooping in and getting into her head again. Especially after the sudsy rendezvous they had just had this morning.

"I was just stopping in to see Elena. A little birdie told me it was your first shift today." Stefan stated turning towards Elena and dismissing Damon completely.

Elena looked between the two brooding brothers hesitantly. She had just finished a bite of her burger, and Damon could see she was having difficulty keeping it down. Luckily her eyes told him everything he needed to know, she couldn't stand Stefan either.

She swallowed and opened her mouth to say, "I don't think that's any of your business."

"Well I know that we left things a little up in the air yesterday, I wanted to know your answer." Stefan said in a silky low voice. Then he did something Damon couldn't believe, his hand went to rest against her cheek and cradled her face. His thumb stroking her soft chin as if it was his to caress.

Damon's stomach lurched seeing his brother touch Elena right in front of him. She shouldn't let him say such things. He couldn't believe he was making up such a bold face lie right in front of his face.

"I know for a fact Elena was with me most of yesterday. You can't possibly expect me to believe that you're being in town had any effect on her." Damon let out in a rush while crossing his arms across his chest attempting to stop his fist from punching him right between the eyes.

Stefan dropped his hand and reluctantly turned towards his brother. With his hand resting on his thigh and his arm leaning against the bar as though it belonged there.

"Right you are brother, but you said _most _of the day. Elena didn't think to mention our shared moment when she was with you yesterday did she?"

Damon hesitated. Stefan had to be bluffing, but when he looked at Elena's red face he could tell something had indeed gone on. Her eyes wouldn't meet his, and for the first time, Damon began to doubt her feelings for him. Was she just using him to get Stefan back?

"Go on Elena, I'm sure he's dying to know what we did on your front porch yesterday." Stefan said.

Damon felt a surge of anger rush through him towards the burnette beauty before him. He needed an answer, and he needed one right now.

"Elena," he said his eyes boring into her bowed head waiting for a contradiction that would never come. "Tell me it's not true. Tell me you didn't see him alone yesterday."

Elena pushed away her plate of uneaten food, and looked up into Damon's piercing blue orbs. Damon knew her answer before she even said it out loud; her tear sheened eyes said everything.

"He did. He kissed me, but I can explain." She said, but Damon wasn't having any of it. She shared a moment with him on their porch? He refused to let his mind go to the fact that he too had kissed her there.

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. Guess you have a lot more in common with my brother than meets the eye. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone then." Damon stated and stomped off.

He decied he'd had enough of work today, and left out the back door without a second glance. Starting his car he figured it was just as well; if Rick had seen him near Elena he'd have his job in a second. That wouldn't be a problem now. Knowing what he'd learned from his old friend had been something he had instantly wanted to share with Elena. In fact he had felt it was his right as her confidant to explain that she wasn't alone anymore. Now he couldn't care less, remembering as he had turned around one last time to see Stefan sneaking his hand around her waist and laying a kiss on her cheek. His heart had shattered into a million jagged pieces. Pressing down on the accelerator, he chose from here on out Elena Gilbert would get nowhere near his heart again.

* * *

Elena couldn't believe what had happened. One minute she was sitting, and eating her lunch while flirting with Damon. Then Stefan was there and saying all these things…She remembered feeling nauseated as he dropped the hint to Damon that something had happened between them.

Sure if this had been under normal boyfriend-girlfriend circumstances Damon would have shrugged off the 'kiss' completely. As it was now though, Elena didn't blame him for storming off. She had hurt him after their lovemaking at The Quarry, and still hadn't found the time to explain her feelings.

This was going from bad to worse in two seconds flat. Damon stormed off, and Stefan would his hand around her waist whispering in her ear,

"I knew you'd make the right choice. You always do." While placing a wet kiss on her cheek.

Now she was the one livid.

Stefan had come in unannounced and singlehandedly ruined everything between her and Damon. Even after their shared time this morning, she knew Damon wouldn't understand. She needed to find him and talk to him now before it was too late.

Ignoring Stefan's attempt at romantic tactics she pulled herself away from him and looked around for Damon. She didn't see him, and she knew that he must have left the room. She sighed in frustration as Stefan turned her around to face him once more.

"Elena look at me. You know me. You don't know him. Trust me, Damon is used to getting any girl to fall for him. You shouldn't feel hurt by his outburst. He'll get over you in two minutes, just wait." Stefan said with a smirk.

Elena had had enough.

"Don't you ever compare yourself to him again you arrogant backstabbing jackass!"

She raised her hand and struck Stefan across the face.

"We are never going to be anything _ever_ again. Leave me the hell alone!" Elena said as she stormed away.

Walking towards the double doors again she was relieved to discover that for the first time that day Stefan hadn't tried to grab her. He had let her leave, and it felt freeing. As she reached the doors she heard a commotion behind her and realized why Stefan hadn't come after her, and it had everything to do with her brother.

Jeremy had come to her rescue, obviously seeing Stefan there had rubbed him the wrong way. She assumed after the slap he had come to her aide, restraining Stefan so he couldn't follow her. Stefan of course did not receive this well.

"Get the fuck off me Gilbert!" he screamed as the customers stared on at the spectacle before them. Even Matt had stopped taking orders and was gaping openly at the scene before him.

"Make me dick wad. You touch my sister again and I swear I'll end you."

"This has nothing to do with you. Go take out the trash."

"That's exactly what I'm doing." replied Jeremy as he reached for Stefan, Stefan lurched back to swing his fist into Jeremy's jaw.

Jeremy sensing the swing coming had of course been prepared, and caught his fist. He twisted it and smirked at Stefan's winces and exclamations of pain. Then Elena watched in amazement as Jeremy pelted Stefan right across the face with a hearty punch. Stefan fell to the floor, and blood streamed out of his nose.

"Take that as a warning dick." Said Jeremy as he strode towards Elena and guided her into the back room.

The rest of the day was a blur for Elena. Rick had of course found out about the fight, and suspended Jeremy from working at the Grill for two weeks. Elena was relieved that her only punishment was dish duty and bussing tables the rest of the week. At five, her first shift was finally over, and she knew the first place she would be going. She didn't know where Damon was staying, but the old Salvatore Boarding house was sadly a place she knew well. Many visits to Stefan had been to that location. However, this time she was prepared to see another Salvatore, and beg for him to take her back.

**********************AUTHORS NOTE************************

**WOW 10,400 views on this story! I'm so very happy and ecstatic about this. Thank you all so much for being dedicated readers to this story!**

**Oh man, this had to have been one of the hardest chapters to write, just because of the angst. I think that's why it took so long for me to post it. I needed to get it just right. Do not despair, our Delena will be back…but how long will it take for Elena to win Damon's heart?**

**Keep reading to find out! Be good and review please ;)**


	17. Chapter 17

"I still don't have a reason. And you don't have the time, and it really makes me wonder if I ever gave a fuck about you. Give me something to believe in, cause I don't believe in you anymore. I wonder if it even makes a difference to try, so this is goodbye." Makes Me Wonder, Maroon 5

Ch. 17

Damon entered the boarding house slamming the door shut, and walked towards the mini bar. His face was solemn as he reached for the decanter and poured the amber liquid into the tumbler before him. He lifted the glass to his lips, thinking about the day's events, and drank. Pouring back the drink in one hefty gulp he let the liquid burn down his throat. He appreciated the painful reminder that he was alive. Especially after what he'd just witnessed and heard about Elena.

His thoughts raced through the morning's events like a whirlwind. Their shared stares, heated moments in the kitchen, his hands over her smooth skin, and her moans coming out from her mouth continuously. She had been taunting him to continue, begging him to never stop, and he hadn't wanted to. Their lips and clung to one another, and Damon had felt reassured about her feelings for him. Even after their conversation at the bar about his past, he had been sure she'd wanted him. That was until Stefan had shown up, and destroyed everything. Why was it every time Stefan came to her mind, Damon found he was suddenly forgotten?

Damon's anger seethed as he remembered seeing Stefan kiss Elena's cheek. Perhaps he wouldn't be so depressed and angry right now if she had contradicted the situation somehow. If she had told Stefan to get lost, but no instead he'd seen her lean into the kiss, as his arm pulled her closer. He had seen enough and left. Going to his car he had driven off in a fit of rage and resentment. Stefan didn't deserve her, of that he was sure. The remainder of his afternoon had been spent driving aimlessly, passing the falls and thinking of her. Finally when he had reached a point of pain that felt like agony, he decided he needed a little something stronger to burn away the ache in his chest. So he drove home, and here he stood in front of his fireplace, drinking away his sorrows and wishing he'd never met Elena Gilbert.

Turning towards the fireplace he decided to turn it on and get lost in looking at the flames. Instead he heard rustling behind him and turned to see someone he loathed most in the world at the moment.

"What are you doing here brother?"

"Last I checked…I live here."

"Stefan you haven't lived here in months. What are you doing here?"

"Well I've come to make sure you understood our little conversation earlier." Stefan said going behind the bar and making himself a drink. He looked a little too at home, and Damon was seconds away from kicking him out.

"What part?" Damon spat waiting for the real reason he stood in front of him. He hated the smug look on his face.

"Well as you can clearly see, I'm back for what's mine. I don't just mean this house, I also mean Elena." Stefan stated taking a sip of his drink and sinking into the leather sofa behind him.

Damon gaped at his brother. Clearly his boundaries were in need of being established.

"Stefan, you've made it pretty clear that she wants you and you want her. So what's the problem? I'm sure she'd be more than willing to have Saint Stefan back."

"Just the same," Stefan said, "I think her mind would be…clearer if you weren't around."

"Excuse me?"

"I've already informed you that Elena and I have a past. I intend to change that to the present, but you are clearly standing in the way."

"How'd you figure that?" Damon scoffed looking into the flames, waiting for Stefan to spit out why he was here so he could go up to his room and lock the door.

"After you left, she seemed disagreeable to say the least." Stefan replied wiping his nose again. Damon noticed the gesture and looked at Stefan's face for the first time since he'd come in. He hadn't noticed before the bruising beginning to trace his nose, nor the dried blood on his shirt. Maybe he had missed something.

"What happened to you?"

"Jeremy got hot under the collar, that's besides the point."

"Why would little Gilbert come after you?" Damon said, setting down his glass and walking towards Stefan. He wanted to look into his eyes, to make sure he was telling him the truth. Stefan had a past history of spinning things his way, but Damon had figured out his tells over the years. He didn't want to miss a bit of this.

"Elena may have seemed a bit hostile to my advances."

"Really?" Damon said, attempting to stifle the joy bubbling up towards his heart. Perhaps Elena had resisted him, and he just hadn't seen it? He suddenly regretted leaving before the show. He would have loved to see Little Gilbert lay into his baby bro. Family or not he needed a good punch and Damon was glad that he for once didn't have to do the dirty work.

"Anyway, I have a proposition for you," Stefan stated, rising from the couch and standing directly in front of him.

"You can keep this house, if you let me have Elena."

Damon's mouth dropped as his mind reeled. He couldn't possibly be serious could he?

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Nope, from now on if you back off from Elena I won't continue with my move on gaining the Boarding house. I'll drop all leads and you can keep it."

Damon couldn't believe it would have been that easy for him to get rid of his brother's tactics on taking the property, but was it worth losing Elena? His heart immediately wanted to fight against it; she had been constantly on his mind for days. The simple thought of giving her up made his chest throb, but the house had been his mother's. He quickly decided, knowing there would be regrets but Elena would be fine. After all, he didn't even know if she felt the same way about him that he felt for her. He had to make the choice that was best for him.

"Fine, if that's what it takes to get rid of you."

"You know you're not fooling anyone," Stefan spat, "You love her Damon."

"I do, and I thought I could win her from you fair and square. She didn't want me. It's for the best. I'm better at being the bad guy anyway." Damon said as he raised his glass and left the room. His feet climbed the stairs and before he knew it, he was in the safety of his own room. He locked the door and undressed, ready to slip under the covers of his bed and get lost in the darkness.

* * *

Elena drove toward the Salvatore boarding house with only Damon on her mind. She knew she'd needed to see him the moment he left, but Rick had been very strict about her finishing her first shift, and since Jeremy had been suspended she couldn't afford to leave early. So she spent the rest of the day waiting until finally her shift was over and she was able to leave. Jeremy had decided to walk home, and let Elena take the SUV. She had been relieved and raced to the Boarding house to see Damon.

He had seemed so upset by her run in with Stefan, and she was afraid he had jumped to the wrong conclusion. She wanted to be with Damon, not Stefan and she had decided once and for all that she was done with him. She needed a fresh start, and deep down she knew Damon would be the one to give her that.

As Elena reached the front of the house, she knocked on the large wooden door. Hoping that Damon would answer so she could throw herself into his arms, kiss him, and beg for his forgiveness. She hoped deep down he would understand and forget the whole afternoon fiasco.

However, instead of Damon answering the door she stood there looking into the other brother's eyes.

"Hello Elena, come on in." He grinned, motioning her inside.

Elena was stunned. She hadn't seen Stefan here in ages, and yet here he was, welcoming her into the Salvatore Boarding house.

"Stefan? What are you doing here? Where's Damon?" she asked, looking confused.

"He's upstairs. We've worked out an arrangement while I'm here. Please come in."

She walked in tentatively, glancing around the corner and up the stairs for Damon. Stefan shut the door behind them and walked up behind her. She turned around to discover him right next to her, his eyes boring into hers. She knew the look he was giving her, and it made her skin crawl.

"Stefan, don't even think about it. I'm only here to see Damon. I told you I never want to go there with you again, or was my brother's fist too subtle?" she said taking a step back towards the stairs, and glaring at him.

"No I got the message loud and clear, but something tells me you'll reconsider. You see Damon isn't interested anymore. He's got someone…I mean something else preoccupying his mind right now. I wouldn't waste your time."

"You're lying." She stating, deciding to call him out on his bluff.

"Nope, go ahead and see for yourself. He's even locked himself in his room to talk to her. Oh Damon!" Stefan yelled up the stairs, "Elena's here."

"Leave me the hell alone!" Damon yelled from a distance. Elena's heart sunk at Damon's words. She didn't want to believe Stefan because she was sure he would say anything to hinder her relationship with his brother. However, after hearing Damon's voice, she couldn't stop the nagging feeling inside telling her he might be right.

"I guess I better go then." She said and went to leave.

"Ok Elena, don't be a stranger." Stefan said as his hand went to caress her cheek. Elena jerked away and stomped out of the house deciding her feet couldn't carry her away from that place fast enough.

**((((((HUGS))))))) I know that was an angsty chapter…sorry. I promise there is a delena light at the end of this tunnel. Just you wait ;)**

**Keep reading/reviewing! Thanks again! ~iHeart1202**


	18. Chapter 18

_"I wish we could go back, and remember what we were fighting for, I wish you knew that I miss you too much to be mad anymore. I wish you were right here, right now, its all good, I wish you would." ~ I Wish You Would, Taylor Swift_

Ch. 18

"Order up"

"Coming!" Elena rasped out grabbing an empty tray and loading it for table five. The past two weeks has been a whirlwind. After leaving the boarding house she knew she needed to find a way to reach Damon. She'd called over and over again, but received no reply.

Today was no exception. Damon still seemed to be avoiding her again. For the past couple of weeks he hadn't given Elena any time to explain herself. In fact it was as if he had written her off completely, and it was crippling her. Even now, as he came towards her while she held a loaded tray, she could tell he was distant. The only hope she found was in his eyes. The eyes that still seemed to rake over her body and gaze at her longingly. For a moment she stood in his sights her breath held waiting for him to say something. Yet he never did. He simply reached across her, grabbing a few stray menus behind her and left. Elena gave up and sighed going off to deliver her food.

She hated this. She needed to tell him how she felt. She longed to explain to him that her body craved his at night. That her mind continued to make up fantasies about him daily. That although she'd thought she wanted Stefan, his wasn't the name she groaned out after release anymore. She needed him, and these past two weeks had just about driven her mad with desire. Seeing him and not being able to touch him had been agony. Although rationally she knew nothing physical hindered her from grabbing him and telling him how she felt there were other things that seemed to always get in the way.

Alaric for instance was always assigning her to shifts that were on different rotations from his. She had assumed Damon had requested this and so she chose not to mention it. She had been in hot water enough as it was...because of some other hot sudsy water..

Another distraction had been her brother Jeremy. After his run in with Stefan he'd been obscenely broody, and depressed. She couldn't figure out if it was because of her or something else. Whatever the case, her nights consisted of babysitting him, to make sure he was ok. They mostly played video games with Bonnie and passed out hours later only to wake up for work. Then when she got to work she would have to endure the same old broody stares and comments from Alaric about her responsibilities.

In spite of everything going wrong one thing did seem to be going right today. Stefan would be leaving for pre enrollment at Whitmore, which meant no more stalking her at work or at home. She really wished he'd get the hint soon and move on, but he could be very persistent when he wanted to be.

"Hello beautiful." Stefan said from behind her.

_Like now for example_, Elena thought as she whipped her high ponytail around to smack him in the face.

"Whoa watch it." He said waiting for her to apologize. She didn't, instead she walked past him ready to go on her break.

"Elena where are you going?"

"On break. I only get thirty minutes." She said, while removing her apron and heading for the bathroom. She hopped he wouldn't follow her, but she wouldn't put it past him. He definitely needed a reboot on personal boundaries. Choosing to be more direct she turned around once more stating, " Stefan, I'm going into the bathroom. When I come out you won't be here so...thanks for stopping by."

"You didn't even let me get out what I was gonna say. You can come with me to Whitmore. I looked into having you enroll there for your freshman year. It's the perfect solution; we'll never have to be apart."

Elena sighed, reaching the door of the bathroom and turned to look at Stefan. His eyes were so full of false hope, and all she wanted to to was crush him into oblivion.

"Stefan maybe you didn't understand me. I'm not going to college. I can't. Jeremy needs me, and you really don't seem to understand that I just don't feel that way about you anymore."

Stefan took a step back, seemingly hurt. Elena didn't care. He'd been gone for almost two years, and she wasn't about to race off with him anywhere after how he treated her. Glancing behind him, Elena noticed a pair of bright blue orbs looking in her direction. Staring into them she suddenly felt at peace as their eyes locked across the room. Her heart sped up as she watched him move closer towards her.

"What are you looking at?!" Stefan spat, and turned just in time to see Damon striding towards him.

"Is there a problem here?" Damon asked. Elena couldn't help but note the protective edge in his voice.

"Just talking to my girl on her break." Stefan said smugly. Elena's mouth dropped. That was the last thing she needed. Stefan spinning lies about them being together when they clearly weren't.

"I'm not your girl." She said sternly looking at Stefan. She had had enough of his cheap theatrics. He wasn't going to scare Damon away from her again. Not this time.

Damon seemingly apathetic spoke towards his brother, "Well your girl or not, she's still on the clock so I'm going to have to ask you to keep your personal business at bay until later."

"Excuse me?" Stefan said taking a step towards Damon, attempting to appear defensive. It wasn't working too well, as Damon's muscles seemed to be bulging out of his dark blue shirt today. Elena couldn't help herself as she took him in. His rock hard body begging to be touched, and she longed to feel it again pressed up against hers. She decided she wasn't ready for this close proximity, especially if they were going to continue this pissing contest.

"Well while you two figure out where I should go, I'm going to be in here." She said, motioning to the ladies restroom and disappearing inside.

Moments later she began washing her hands, and looked up into the mirror. Her eyes filled with lust and her red cheeks gave her away, as she continued to think about Damon. She couldn't believe he'd spoken to her again. Well not her per say, but on her behalf. It had been so long, and she had missed his protectiveness so much lately.

Turning on the water she wet her hand and placed it on the back of her neck attempting to calm her nerves. Reaching for a paper towel she heard the door to her right swung open. Dropping her hand she gasped as she noticed Damon enter, and quickly lock the door behind him. His heated gaze bored through hers and before she knew it his lips had claimed her own, and his hands were clutching the sides of her face as if his life depended on it. Elena moaned and melted into the kiss, forcing every emotion she'd felt the past couple of weeks into it. Her heart, her passion, and every emotion she'd had for this man was fulfilled once again, and she never wanted it to stop.

Her hands went to grasp the sides of his face, deepening the kiss even more. Her fingers getting lost in his dark locks as his hands drifted down to caress the sides of her waist. Pushing her back, he forced her body into the hard porcelain sink behind them. Lifting her up to sit on the sink, her legs quickly wrapped around his waist, and he groaned feeling the heat coming from her center. Suddenly, his hands slightly lifted her dark red top, as his hands slowly skimmed the silky smoothness of her skin. Elena bucked her hips in between their heated moans, and Damon found himself withdrawing slowly from her embrace.

"God…..Elena…..I shouldn't do this." He gasped in between kisses. His tongue laving the insides of her mouth, as his lips massaged her own.

"Do what?" Elena questioned, seemingly useless to logical reasoning. Damon was kissing her, and she never wanted him to stop.

"Kiss someone who doesn't want me." Damon said, pulling back and looking into her eyes once more.

"Damon," Elena's voice broke. She needed to tell him, and now she wasn't wasting any time.

"You're wrong Damon. I don't want him. I want you. I've been trying to tell you for weeks but you haven't let me." She said stroking the side of his face with her thumb, her fingers curled around his neck playing with his dark silky hair.

"It's only been you Damon."

"How can I believe you?" he asked, leaning over her on the basin, his hands on either side of her as his eyes fixated on hers.

"Because its the truth. Damon, please." She said grabbing his arm and looking into his eyes. "We've already lost too much time. I don't want to waste another minute of it. Life's too short."

At that Damon's eyes looked into hers one final time, and Elena saw his resolve break as he reached for her once more to claim her lips with his. She accepted his kiss, knowing he was finally irrevocably hers.

******************NOTE***********************

**AAAAHHHHH *fangirl moment* I so LOVED writing this chapter! I got the idea after last nights episode, and I couldn't help myself. I know I should wait but…I'm going to give it to you anyway. Happy early Valentines day present. I hope you enjoyed the read! Here's to more steamy DELENA moments to come! :D**

**-but what about Stefan's threat? Will this mean taking back the boarding house? Only time will tell…other characters soon to return as well to stir the pot. Enjoy!**

**PS a BIG THANKS to all my readers and especially my reviewers! You all are so awesome, and I truly couldn't do this without you. love you!**


	19. Chapter 19

"I'm outta my mind. Cause all of me, loves all of you. Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections. Give your all to me I'll give my all to you. You're my end and my beginning, even when I lose I'm winning…"

All of Me, John Legend

Ch. 19

Damon moaned into Elena's mouth and ran his hands through her hair, cradling her head in his hands. He couldn't believe he'd waited so long to touch her. Every inch of her under his hands made every nerve inside him come alive. She'd finally told him she'd wanted him and only him, and his resolve had shattered. It didn't matter to him now what Stefan would think. All he knew was that he wanted her.

Her hips were starting to slowly grind against his, and he was losing by the second. He didn't want to be the voice of reason, but he knew they would have to stop soon, or he would take her right here and now.

Something inside stopped him. He knew their first time had been at the Quarry, and after she'd admitted her feelings he no longer wanted to claim her like a daily conquest. He wanted to make love to her, to show her how much she meant to him. He wanted to cherish her, and he couldn't do that against a sink in the woman's restroom. He also knew if Rick walked in on them doing the nasty he'd lose his job in a second, and possibly a friend. Memories flooded as he remembered his secret about Elena being his daughter, and he finally found the strength he needed to pull away.

Kissing her one final time, he let his tongue tangle with hers and then he regretfully stepped back. He smirked as he took in her appearance before him. Her shirt was lifted to display her smooth stomach, and her once high ponytail was now pulled down almost undone. Her lips were swollen from kissing him, and he loved how her eyes continued to stare into his own.

"What's wrong?" Elena asked perplexed. He knew she hadn't wanted him to stop. He didn't want to either.

"I just think we need to stop now before we end up going farther," he said. He smiled as he saw her almost pout at his words.

"Damon, I told you it's only been you. What else is there holding you back? I'm right here. I want this. You want this. So stop fighting it." She said reaching out and caressing his face. He sighed into her touch. He loved the feel of her skin on his…

Damon's hands made fists holding him back from touching her. No he wouldn't, he couldn't not yet. She deserved to know the truth. He wasn't going to be the one to withhold this information from her anymore.

"I can't. Not here. I know you don't understand but there is someone here that would not appreciate me fucking you in the bathroom."

"Who? Jeremy? He definitely wouldn't care. In fact I'm sure he's done it a few times in the back room with Vicki so no harm done." Elena said while lowering her shirt to reveal some major cleavage. She was playing dirty and he knew it. She attempted to fix her hair, and then gave up turning around and pulling her hair tie out so that Damon watched her hair fall in soft waves around her. He practically moaned as she went to fix her lip-gloss in the mirror, making her lips go into a "O" position. He fought for control over his thoughts about those lips on another part of his anatomy.

"No not Jeremy. Rick." Damon stated, slowly starting to lose the battle inside, as he caught wind of her floral scent pulling him towards her.

"Rick? Ok I see how that might be a problem…" she said turning around she pulled him close by wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Can I see you later then?" she said pressing her breasts against his chest and making him wrecked with need.

Damon wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her everything Rick had told him about Elena, but the words died in his throat as he stood looking into her big doe eyes. How could he ruin her happiness? She was practically glowing, and he didn't want to be the one to stop her from being happy.

"Yes. Come by the house tonight. Stefan will be gone, and we can talk then."

He said while doing his best to contain the bulge from growing any more in his pants.

"You want to talk about two weeks ago, fine talk." She said crossing her arms and taking a step back.

"Here's the thing Elena I don't know what to say. Or do, or think. All I know is that right now. I want to rip your clothes off right here in the middle of this room, and kiss every square inch of your body while a bunch of people that are eating listen, wishing they were us." He stated licking his bottom lip and imagining the taste of her on his tongue. He could practically see her come right in front of him.

"That's probably a bad idea right?" Damon breathed, his arm lifted over her head, trapping their bodies together against one of the stalls

"Damon…" Elena breathed out…her lips were so close to his and he would have kissed them had it not been for the loud knocking on the door.

"Hey! Could someone please open this door?" A familiar voice came out from behind the wooden door. Damon grunted and went to slide the lock out from the latch. Elena hastily fixed her clothes and hid behind a stall, waiting for the girl in question to go away.

"Oh…I thought this was the ladies." Croaked out the girls' voice. She sounded very familiar and very drunk. Damon looked her over and suddenly realized the similarities between her and Donovan.

"Vicki?" came Elena's voice from behind him, as she emerged from a stall.

Damon went into panic, wanting to tell Elena to go back into hiding, but she was already going to meet with the girl in front of him.

"Oh my God Elena?!" the girl squealed out as she strode past Damon to give Elena a hug. Elena patted her on the back, and looked into Damon's eyes with alarm. He assumed this wasn't someone that Elena expected a hug from often.

"What are you doing here?" Elena asked, "I thought you were in Bermuda?"

"Well…that was a bust." Stated Vicki as she slowly walked to the sink, turning on a faucet and getting a paper towel for her head. Damon stood transfixed in the room, wanting to leave but waiting for an explanation.

He looked at Elena and mouthed, "Who is she?" Elena whispered a reply, "Matt's sister." Before turning to help the inebriated girl.

Damon turned on his heel and headed for his office. Donovan wasn't at work today, so he would have to give him a call. He wasn't going to stand and wait around while Elena played the Good Samaritan card. Something told him this was going to be upsetting news for Donovan. He needed to reach him and fast before things got any worse.

Two steps before he hit his office he heard his name being called out. It was Alaric from the bar, and he turned just in time to see a fist fight break out between Jeremy and a very tanned frat boy. From the looks of it, blood had been spilt, and he was running to get to the situation as fast as he could.

"Get off of me dick!" screamed Jeremy as the man pinned him to the ground.

"You're the dick! Calling my girl a whore! You should be taught a lesson." The man said lifting a bottle to bring it down over Jeremy's head. Damon seemed to reach the man just in time to knock the bottle out of his hands. There was a loud crash and then Alaric was grabbing the boy off Jeremy and pulling him towards the exit.

Damon bent down to offer Jeremy a hand up, noticing that he'd been layed out on the floor.

"Damn it little Gilbert. You had one day left before coming back. Why'd you have to pull this shit?" he bent down picking Jeremy up off the floor and pulling him into a nearby booth. Jeremy grunted and sighed out, "Because I love her." Before passing out completely.

Damon sighed and looked up to see Elena rushing to the scene with tears in her eyes and Vicki following closely behind her.

"Oh no…Jeremy!" she cried out, sliding into the booth next to him and stroking his face.

"What the hell happened?" she asked Damon. He went to speak, until he heard Vicki behind him explain, "Me. I happened."

******************************AUTHORS NOTE**********************************************

**Well there you have it Vicki Donovan is finally back from her world wind walk about…and broken little Gilbert's heart…if only there could be someone to come pick up the pieces… (Bonnie! *cough*) anyways I hope you liked the chapter. Lots more smut/sexiness from Damon and Elena to come so don't you worry!**

**Keep reading! Be good and review ;)**


	20. Chapter 20

"Tell them I was happy, and my heart is broken. All my scars are open. Tell them what I hoped would be impossible." ~Shontelle, Impossible

Ch. 20

"At the risk of sounding like a bitch, what the hell are you doing here Vicki?" Elena bit out, malice filling her words.

"Well excuse you little Ms. Slut who broke my brothers heart, some of us have actual reasons for breaking up with people." Vicki spat back.

Elena was still clutching on to Jeremy up to this point until her restrain snapped and she found herself lunging at Vicki. Luckily Rick showed up when he did or she was sure she would have taken her face off.

"Elena hey! Cut it out!" Rick yelled, dragging Elena back to restrain her while Damon escorted Vicki off the premises. Once Vicki had disappeared Elena could finally breathe and think clearly. Looking up at her boss she suddenly felt very shameful for the adolescent scene they'd just staged.

"Mr. Salzman…I'm so sorry. Please excuse my behavior. Believe me I'm not usually like this."

Rick stepped back and crossed his arms. Elena feared the worst.

"Elena I know you're a hard worker and so is your brother, but you can't go around punching people in my establishment. Is that clear?"

"Yes." Elena croaked out, she felt like a little girl being scolded by her father.

"Anymore episodes like this and I'll have to let you both go. Now, we've had enough for one day here at the grill and it looks like Jeremy could use some help cleaning up. I'll let you take the rest of the day off, but be here bright and early tomorrow."

"Of course sir, and again I'm very sorry for all the trouble my brother has caused. Trust me he didn't use to be this way."

"I know," Rick said, and Elena was surprised to see his hand reach out and pat her shoulder. "You're a good sister Elena. I'm glad he has you."

Elena knew this moment should have made her feel uncomfortable, but for some reason she welcomed the kind words and gesture. She felt comforted knowing she finally had support for her and her brother.

A moment later Rick dropped his arm, and went to Jeremy helping him up out of the booth he'd passed out in. "Here let me help you take him to the car." He ground out. Elena didn't object, she grabbed her purse and keys from the back and headed to follow them both out to the SUV. Rick helped lower Jeremy inside with a grunt, and closed the door.

"Thanks again Mr. Saltzman." Elena said, walking around the car to get in.

"It was no problem, and please call me Rick."

"Ok, thanks again Rick." Elena said going to open her door and leave.

"Elena." Rick said making her pause and look up at him.

"Yes?"

"There's something I believe we need to discuss later. Would you mind coming in around 9:30 tomorrow morning. I would really like to meet with you before your shift starts."

"Sure thing, I just need to get Jeremy home. He seems pretty bad off."

"Of course, see you tomorrow." He said waving.

"See you tomorrow." She said opening her door and getting into the vehicle, she couldn't help the strange feeling bubbling up inside her. Was it fear or was it something else…maybe hope.

Turning on the car she heard the familiar ringtone for Bonnie. Puzzled she soon realized it was coming from her brother's phone instead of hers. She bent over the backseat, reaching over to the floor where his phone seemed to have fallen. Grabbing for it too late she noticed a voicemail. She knew she shouldn't be snooping through her brother's phone, but she was curious to know what Bonnie needed to call her brother for.

Glancing behind her she made sure her Jeremy was still passed out in the backseat. As soon as she realized he was she hit the play button on the voicemail. Bonnie's voice filled her ears.

"Jeremy, its Bon. Listen I know we were both drunk the other night…but I really need to talk to you about what happened. Call me back." Elena heard a reassuring click, and then the phone went silent. She looked at the screen once more, reassuring herself that it was in fact her best friend calling her brother. She couldn't believe it, Bonnie and Jeremy? Well she knew one way to find out for sure. She opened Jeremy's message app and texted her best friend.

"Bon, I'm at home. Come see me?" she wrote, and hit send. She drove off deciding this was going to be a very interesting afternoon.

* * *

Damon sunk into the office chair with a sigh. He couldn't remember ever feeling this on edge in his life. He'd escorted Vicki out of the grill. She'd cussed him out, but he turned away from her and headed back to his office. He had bigger problems, much bigger than Vicki Donovan and Jeremy Gilbert. His hands went up running through his hair as he let out another breath. He was running out of time. Worse than that he was running out of opportunities to tell Elena the truth. Somehow he knew his secret shouldn't have been a big deal, but until he'd found out about Rick being Elena's father it had all seemed like child's play. He honestly couldn't find it in himself to remember a time where he could have told Elena. She had completely consumed him and his thoughts for the entire month.

Glancing down at his phone he saw it ring again with _her _picture on it. He cringed and hit ignore, remembering Stefan's threat in front of the bathroom door.

1 hour earlier…

"_Well while you two figure out where I should go, I'm going to be in here." Elena said, motioning to the ladies restroom and disappearing inside. Stefan practically punched the door as Elena disappeared behind it. Damon had turned to leave, wanting to ignore his brother's petty antics when he suddenly felt a hand resting on the crook of his arm. _

"_What to do you want brother." he croaked out, annoyed._

"_You're not getting off that easily. I know you think I'm going to be gone, and maybe that has given you a window for now with Elena, but trust me brother, just when you think you're safe, you're not. I know the secret you've been keeping." Stefan whispered behind Damon, causing him to reel around and look into his brother's eyes. _

"_You're bluffing."_

"_Why would I bluff about something like that?" Stefan added, looking cocky. Damon's fear began to bubble up inside his chest. If Stefan was right it could possibly mean the end of his relationship with Elena, and Damon knew he would use it to his full advantage._

"_Because you know you're losing her, and you're grasping at straws Stef. Just move back to Whitmore, find someone new and leave us the hell alone." Damon spat out in hushed tones. He didn't need the entire Grill hearing this conversation._

"_You know, its funny you would mention meeting someone new, because I might have done just that. Funniest thing is she came to the house last night after Elena stormed off. I honestly couldn't believe my luck at how beautiful she was. I might ask her to pay us another visit." Stefan stated grinning from ear to ear. _

_Damon's stomach felt like it dropped out of him. He couldn't believe she had actually come looking for him. His palms began to sweat, and his body went into a state of panic. _

"_Who came to the house Stefan?" Damon asked impatiently. If Stefan said her name, he knew he was screwed and in more ways than one. If he didn't then he'd know he was lying, and he could breathe again._

"_Katherine." Stefan said with a smirk. "You know what Damon it was amazing to me just how closely she resembled Elena…you might want to explain that to her before _**she**_ shows up tonight. I told her when you get out of work. Enjoy your weekend." Stefan said with a satisfied grin, turning on his heel and leaving Damon to stare into oblivion. _

_Damon was done with this conversation. He'd waited two weeks waiting on this shit to clear and now he had another monster to face, and it was one he'd created himself. He knew what Elena thought of him right now. She thought he didn't want her. That somehow she couldn't be enough for him, but she was wrong. These past two weeks had been complete torment watching her and not touching her, knowing what Stefan could do. He hated giving that power to his brother, and now that he was gone he was going to finally take what was his, even if it would just be for a glimmering moment. He glanced around making sure no one saw him, and entered the Women's restroom. Once inside he'd locked the door, and saw her long slender body leaning over the sink. She glanced up at him in confusion, and he soon found his resolve to stay away from her break and he'd rushed to her crushing his mouth to hers…_

_Now…_

He glanced down at his phone and saw the three missed calls from Katherine. Unlocking his phone he decided to listen to the voicemail she'd left. He needed to know why she was invading his life. Why now? She'd been the one to break his heart and leave. He hadn't heard from her in months.

"Damon, I know you're ignoring me, and I don't much like being pushed to the side. I'll be at the house tonight by five, and I expect to see you there. Or else you'll have a lot of explaining to do." Katherine's voice purred out of his phone. He clicked the delete button and sighed…knowing this, what he knew, was dangerous even for him. If his instincts were correct Elena's resemblance could only mean one thing, that Katherine was her sister…her twin sister, and Alaric had two daughters to tell the truth to. Damon almost laughed at the absurdity. When did his life begin to sound like a bad soap opera?

Giving in he finally hit the call back button, and took in a breath.

"Where have you been Damon? I've missed you." Katherine answered in a throaty voice. Damon had forgotten how seductive that tone could be to him.

"Busy. What are you up to Katherine? I thought you didn't do follow ups or begging." He replied.

"Simple really, I have something I need you to know." She purred.

"What's that?" Damon asked seductively, playing her game.

"Oh no no no, don't ruin the surprise."

"Did I put a kink in your master plan? I'm so sorry." Damon said mocking her. She was the plotting type and something told him this wasn't going to be any different.

"Do you honestly think I don't have a plan B? and if that fails a plan C, then a plan D, you know how the alphabet works don't you? See you at five." She said and then he heard a click at the other end of the phone.

Yup, he decided, he was screwed.

*********AUTHORS NOTE***************

**Please don't hate me…It took me weeks to write this. Not because I didn't know what to write, but because I knew how angst filled this chapter would be, an believe it or not this was a hard one to write. I'm working on the next chapter right now which is a lot harder, but just trust me its so good! I hope you like the twist with Katherine. Please keep reading/reviewing!**

**I had a question about why Stefan is the way he is, and I will be answering that very soon. **

**note this is a DELENA fanfic….;)**


	21. Chapter 21

"I would catch a grenade for ya. Throw my head on a blade for ya. I'd jump in front of a train for ya, ya know I'd do anything for ya. I would go through all this pain. Take a bullet straight through my brain. Yes I would die for you baby, but you won't do the same."

~ Bruno Mars, Grenade

Ch.21

Elena stopped the SUV in front of her house and sighed.

_What have I gotten myself into? _She thought as she opened the back door to peel Jeremy off the backseat. He was so much taller than her, and so much heavier that she soon realized she couldn't get him up without help.

"Jeremy! Come on wake up! I need to get you inside." She screamed at him, jostling him awake.

"mmmmphh." He groaned out as he slumped forward and grabbed the seat in front of him for stability.

"Where am I?" he asked meekly.

"We're home. Now come on, I can't carry you in by myself."

"Sure, sure." He ground out flailing his limbs about and stumbling out of the vehicle. Elena watched as he nearly ate the pavement while she bent over to help him up. She begrudgingly kicked her foot out and closed the door behind them as they made their way towards the house and up the porch steps. Using as much strength as she could she unlocked the door and kicked it open, using her arm to hold up Jeremy as they both stumbled into the foyer.

Loosing her grip, Elena let go of Jeremy, and he hit the floor with a loud thud.

"Damn it Jeremy!" she sighed out. _Well at least I got him inside_, she thought as she picked up his legs and drug him into the living room, helping him onto the carpet, she sighed and sank into the sofa.

"Lena…" he moaned out below her.

"Yeah Jer?" she asked.

"Why'd she have to be such a cold hearted bitch?"

"Who? Vicki? Why do you care about her I thought you were over her Jer?" Elena said, waiting for his answer.

"I thought I was too. You know when she left I didn't come out of my room all day. I'd spent the whole day drinking and reminiscing, even then knowing that she was probably screwing someone else, and I still couldn't stop myself from loving her." He ground out, hitting the carpet and turning over to look at Elena as he lay on the floor.

"Jer…why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I'm supposed to be the strong one remember? I'm the man of the house now, and I'm not supposed to care about girls breaking my heart. I break theirs, but Vicki got in after Mom and Dad died. I thought she really cared about me you know? The only moments I ever smiled were because of her, and I guess I thought that meant something."

"It does Jer, it means you're human. It means you still have the capacity to care, and I love you for that. But you shouldn't have to settle for someone who's going to break your heart in the process." Elena said, leaning down to stroke the top of his hair and brush the tangles out. Mom used to do this when he would get upset, and she wanted to comfort him, let him know he could get past this.

He slowly sat up and crawled onto the couch, forcing Elena to move over while she continued to stroke his head.

"Mm that feels good." He purred.

"I'm glad…and you know Jer, I think you already know what's good for you."

"What do you mean?" he said looking up at her with questioning eyes.

Before she could answer him both of them heard a knock at the front door. Elena had almost forgotten the message she had sent her best friend and she nearly sunk into the floor with embarrassment. She hadn't told Jeremy about the text she'd intercepted and with her luck that would be Bonnie at the front door right now, wanting to see him.

Slowly she rose from the couch and went to answer the door. Opening it she found Bonnie standing there looking confused and smiling.

"Hey." Elena said opening the door, as Bonnie came in saying, "hey" she answered meekly.

"Is Jeremy here? I have something I need to talk to him about."

"Yeah sure, he's on the couch." Said Elena shutting the front door, and turning to see Bonnie heading over to where Jeremy was.

"Hey you." She said to Jeremy as Elena noticed his eyes open and the realization hit him that Bonnie was really there.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked nervously glancing at Elena.

"I texted you earlier…Jer, what happened to your face?" she said lifting her hand and tracing the bruise that was beginning to form on his temple.

"I'll just go get him some ice…" Elena said walking into the kitchen. She wanted to give them a moment alone, and possibly eavesdrop from the other room.

While opening up the freezer she heard Bonnie ask,

"What happened? I thought you said no more fist fights."

"I did Bon, but then Vicki showed up with her new beau at the grill, and he was so fucking cocky I just had to clock him one ok? But seriously its fine, I'll be fine." Jeremy said getting to his feet and making his way slowly to the stair rail. Bonnie followed closely behind him watching as he swayed back and forth. He turned to look at her and spat, "look I'm ok, seriously Bonnie I don't need an escort to my room"

"I don't know between here and upstairs there's still time for you to do something stupid."

"I already feel bad enough ok? I don't need you to berate me." He stated, grabbing the stair rail and climbing the stairs. Elena listened some more as Bonnie followed him up.

"Why did you have to get involved?" Bonnie said as they reached the top of the stairs.

"Because Vicki said something about you ok? I didn't want you to get hurt." He said in a hushed whisper.

"What did she say?" Bonnie asked. Elena's ears were plenty open at this point and she had gone under the stairwell to listen to the rest of their conversation.

"She said that you would never be interested in me. Saying I was just a kid who needed to grow up and find what a real woman looked like. To which I replied with something along the lines of calling her a whore and the next thing I knew her new boy toy was punching me in the face."

"Jeremy…" Bonnie said, pausing. "You can't feel that way about me."

"No…don't act like this is one sided. Like I'm some kid with a crush on his sisters best friend."

"I can't….I'm sorry." Bonnie whispered.

"Why not? You already kissed me once." Jeremy said.

"That was different Jeremy, we were drunk and I wasn't thinking. Elena wouldn't understand."

At this Elena couldn't take it anymore. She wasn't going to be the only reason for standing in the way of her brother's happiness. He'd been through enough heartache with Vicki, and she refused to believe he couldn't be happy again.

"Bonnie, can I see you for a moment?" Elena asked walking to the foot of the stairs holding an ice pack for Jeremy. Bonnie and Jeremy sprang apart and looked at her guiltily.

Bonnie turned, seeming to forget that Elena had ever been there.

"Yeah." She said looking at Jeremy, and regretfully heading down the steps.

"Here Jer, put this on your face." Elena said throwing the ice pack up to the landing her brother catching it in his hands.

"Nice catch." She said grinning.

"I learned from the best." He said, taking the ice pack and heading into his room.

Bonnie met Elena at the foot of the stairs, and sighed asking, "How much of that did you hear?"

"All of it." Elena said, putting her hand up on her hip.

"God, Elena I'm so sorry. I really didn't mean for things to go this far."

"Stop Bonnie, really its ok. I think Jer could use someone like you in his life right now. Honestly, he needs a good girl, someone to keep him grounded. I really don't mind." Elena said noting Bonnie's surprised reaction.

"Wow that's a relief I thought you'd be pissed."

"Well sure, but only because I'd be afraid of him stealing you away from me." Elena said playfully. The girls both laughed, "Ok, well do you mind if I fill him in then?" Bonnie asked.

"Sure, I've got somewhere to be anyway." Elena said as Bonnie went upstairs to tell Jeremy the good news.

Elena looked at the time, 6:45, she should really be heading over to Damon's.

God she couldn't wait. She'd been without him for so long her body yearned to be with his, and she hoped and anticipated this night being something she would never forget.

*********AUTHORS NOTE*************

**OK I know most of you were expecting some Delena, but instead got some Beremy, just know there is more Delena to come. I hope you liked the fluff, cuz next chapter is going to be dramatic, and angsty. Love you all my wonderful readers!**

**Review please :)**


	22. Chapter 22

_******Updated Chapter: Again, I'm tweaking a few things that are factual about Damon's past. All of the juicy drama is still incorporated along with the dreaded Katherine scene..but I have to keep it since it feeds into the next chapter. Hope you still enjoy it! Thanks! ~iHeart1202**_

"_Once upon a time, a few mistakes ago. I was in your sights you got me alone…I knew you were trouble." ~Taylor Swift, I Knew You Were Trouble_

_Ch. 22_

Damon drove home in haste. He feared the best and the worst of the situation that would prove to be inevitable: his reunion with Katherine Pierce. Her name alone perplexed him, if she was a Pierce how could she possibly be related to Elena? He had no idea how this could be possible. How two women, who looked almost exactly alike, could be so very different. The only thing Damon had found to differentiate the two beauties had been a freckle on Elena's hipbone. Apart from that their appearances were astoundingly similar. They had the same long brown hair, the same olive skin, and dark brown eyes.

On the other hand their personalities were polar opposites. Elena was the strongest woman he'd ever encountered, she was real, and genuine with her efforts. Where Elena was kind, Katherine was callous and used manipulation to get what she desired. For a long time that desire had been him.

He'd met her at a party amongst his college friends at NYU his senior year. She was "studying psychology" and he was still in a bad place since Laura's passing had left him with a hole in his heart that he desired to fill. Unhealthily he chose to do so by using women to forget his heartache. For three years he'd learned to cope with the pain by using women and booze. The combination was toxic but none so much as Katherine had been. She'd become one of those women, and a main source to him during that time. He'd intended for their first night together to only be a one-night stand. It had been heated and was over as quickly as it had begun. However, instead of pushing him out the door the next morning, Katherine had chosen to seduce him. She continued this once a week for a month. She would pop up in the most unlikely of places, and demand him to take her.

Of course at the time, Damon being a young hot-blooded male, had taken her up on every offer. After awhile their moments had grown to be expected, and Damon practically looked forward to the times where she would tell him what to do, and how she liked to be pleasured. It got him off as well as her, and his willingness to please her became more intense.

Unable to discern her visits to him as anything more than sex, his obsession with her grew and morphed into infatuation and then to what he thought to be love. After this epiphany he'd chosen to be completely devoted to her, and his other conquests faded into the background. He'd cut himself off from other women, while telling them he had found the one he was going to spend the rest of his life with.

On the night he chose to tell Katherine about how he felt, she had cut him off at the knees.

"My sweet…innocent, Damon." She'd purred.

"Yes?" he replied, playing along.

"What is it that you want me for? Surely I've given you enough pussy by now."

"Mmm I could never have enough." He ground out, pinning her to the mattress, her warm skin touching every nerve in his torso.

"Then go ahead, you know I'm already wet for you Damon. If you don't believe me go ahead and have a taste." She stated, lifting her hips to meet his. Her offer was tempting, but he'd had other plans.

"I don't just want you now Katherine. I want you forever. I need to hear the truth from you just once…" Damon said as she squirmed underneath him. Her eyes were searching the room, and his hand came up to move her chin to face him. She couldn't avoid his stare, and eventually caved in with the truth,

"The truth is…I'm not what you think I am Damon."

"What do you mean? He asked his voice rising along with his body.

"I'm not exactly as old as you think I am."

"How old?"

"I'm 17."

"17? Christ." Damon said paling. The things they'd done. The poses she'd done for him…he was breaking the law. She was underage.

"I've been lying to you for weeks. I'm just using you, can't you see that?" She said giggling and her eyes fixed on his.

"But I don't understand why mess with me for so long? Why make me love you?"

"Oh…you can't honestly think I feel the same way. Damon I have my whole life ahead of me. Love doesn't matter." She said as his hands framed her face beseeching her to explain.

Slowly she'd lowered his hands from her face, and slid off of the bed. She'd left his condo and never came back. He'd never seen or heard from her aside from a one night stand a few months ago. A moment, which he had regretted the moment he caught her with his best friend Klaus the very next day. After that he'd left New York, and the luxurious lifestyle he'd grown accustomed to. Photography had its perks but he was suddenly done with that dark part of his life. He was ready for something new, and thanks to Alaric he'd decided to start over again.

Then he'd seen Elena his world had shifted. She'd looked almost exactly like Katherine and for a moment he had thought it might have been her. However, once she'd spoken he knew it couldn't be her, their voices were different too. While Katherine's was dark and husky, Elena's sounded a like a soft melody.

Elena had bewitched him in a way that he'd never known before, and her pull on him was foreign, but also one that was dangerous.

He was afraid of what he felt, what it would mean if she discovered the truth about Katherine and his past with her. If she found out about her, he knew she'd never understand why he ever pursued her. He believed she'd question their relationship, or why he'd already slept with her, and he dreaded the doubt it would cause. He had to stop Katherine, whatever she had come for; it couldn't have been for him.

Arriving at the boarding house Damon stepped into the foyer and went for a drink at the bar in the living room. What he wasn't expecting was to already see her sitting on his couch, waiting for him.

"It's very brave of you to come here uninvited."

"I came to make my presence known. Seems a little birdie told you I'd be in town, but you've been avoiding me." She said pouting and crossing her arms as she sat on the couch across from the fireplace.

"Don't pout, its not attractive on a woman your age."

"Ouch." She stated as he turned around to leave the room. He was already done with this conversation.

"What no goodbye kiss?" she said standing up to waltz across the room. He noticed her black tank was practically painted on and her cleavage was spilling out. He knew she was trying to get his attention, but he wasn't the same love struck boy he'd once been. Losing her had changed him.

"I've found someone else." He said with confidence as he watched the smirk disappear from her face.

"So now are you going to tell me why you're really here?" Damon said, his curiosity was beginning to get the better of him.

"Nostalgia. Curiosity, etc. I have some loose ends here, that need to be tied up."

"Katherine, what are you up to?" Damon asked as she pushed her body closer to his. He could smell her perfume wafting towards him and the appeal it had on him was overwhelming. Shamefully he'd missed her scent.

"Trust me Damon, when I'm up to something. You'll know it." She said leaning forward to add, "Come on, kiss me Damon. I'll remind you how good it was..."

Her lips were a breaths width away from his and for a moment he lost his senses and leaned in. Her lips caught his, and he was kissing her. Without warning she'd backed him up against the nearest wall, and soon his hands were running all over her body.

"Oh that's where I like it." She groaned out, while his hips bucked to meet hers in a wild frenzy. His heart was beating rapidly, and as she bent down to unzip his pants his arm found the will to push her away.

"Wait, brief pause." He said hurriedly.

Katherine leaned back against the wall, panting and gazing up at him with confusion. He'd never refused her before, and her interest was piqued.

"I have a question. Answer it right, and I'll forget the months I've spent missing you. I'll forget how much I loved you. I'll forget everything."  
"Stop. I know your question, and its answer." She said interrupting him.

He paused waiting for her to say the words he'd been dreading and longing for since she'd left him.

"I love you Damon. I came back for you."

However, instead of the rush of joy he assumed he would feel, he felt another emotion quickly surfacing.

"Wow, you can't honestly expect me to believe that." He stated turning back to the bar and pouring himself another drink.

"It's the truth Damon, do with it what you will, but there's something else you need to know."

"What's that?" he asked sardonically. He really hoped she would leave soon, he knew Elena was due any moment and their time was limited before this blew up in his face.

"I'm pregnant Damon," she said adding after a pause claiming, "and its yours."

Damon dropped the glass in his hand and it fell with a crash to the floor breaking into a million pieces.

"Excuse me?"  
"You heard me, Damon. Please, you can't believe I'd be here for any other reason. Look, I'll be staying at this Inn down the way, " she stated handing him a brochure while adding, "and if you need any proof later you know where I'll be."

She threw her bag from the couch over her shoulder, and moments later she had disappeared out the door. Damon sunk to the floor in front of the fireplace in horror, his mind reeling about what this meant.

He would lose Elena forever that was for sure. He honestly didn't think he deserved her now. Not after kissing Katherine, not after knowing what she was now carrying was his. If it was his…but he couldn't pretend to live with the absurdity of absolutes. Needing Elena was as essential to him as breathing, but Katherine had beguiled him in a way that he still couldn't rationalize with himself. He thought he'd been over her, but maybe he wasn't and this wasn't fair to Elena.

Going to the Kitchen he grabbed a towel, his pants were now soaked with whiskey from the broken glass and he needed to clean it up before Elena got to the house.

Without fail he picked up the pieces, ignoring the irony that they seemed to be the parts of his life, and threw them away.

Before he knew it, the door was opening and Elena was emerging form the entryway.

"Damon?" she called out, and emerging around the corner to find a him standing by his sofa, and tears streaming down his face with no way of stopping them.


	23. Chapter 23

"Last night we fell apart and broke to pieces. The love was in a hull all packed in boxes, and I saw, what it was, that I had done to you. I was wrong. I was wrong." ~Sleeperstar, I Was Wrong

Ch.23

Elena couldn't believe the scene in front of her. Damon's eyes pooling with tears as she watched him crumble to the floor.

"Damon!" she shouted, racing towards him to catch him. They sunk to the floor together, and Elena took his face in her hands searching his eyes for what was going on.

"What happened?" she asked him, his tears still coming down like rain.

"I…can't…" he said desperately, which only made her worry more. Was it Stefan? Had he seen them? Was it Alaric? Had he been fired?

She couldn't decide what to do.

"Damon, you need to tell me. I can't help you unless you tell me." She said hurriedly, noticing his soaked pants smelling of Whiskey. He'd been drinking.

"You shouldn't even look at me right now." He said, his head bowing low in front of her.

"Why? What did you do that was so terrible?"

His tears stopped at that and he looked at her seriously. Her hands came up to brush the droplets away.

"Hey, look at me. We'll survive this. We always survive." She said, as he looked into her eyes.

"Everything you know, and everything you believe is about to change. Are you ready for that?" he asked huskily. Her body tensed as she waited for what he was about to say.

"Yes."

"I haven't been honest with you Elena. Lord knows I should have been, but I just need to say it once. You just need to hear it."

Her eyes searched his, and her hands clasped around his neck holding them together, she was not going to let him go. She didn't want to.

"Tell me."

"I love you Elena," he said as her heart skipped a beat. He loved her…

"And its because I love you that I can't be selfish with you. I don't deserve you. I've done so many things to hurt you." He said, his hand raising up to clasp their fingers together.

"What things?" she asked, trying to hold in her joy at the declaration of his love. The idea that Damon was in love with her made her happier than she'd ever been, but his reaction stopped her.

"I know we haven't had the awkward exes conversation yet have we?"

"No."

"Well mine showed up today, and things got a little complicated."

Elena dropped her hands and sat back waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"What happened Damon?"

"We kissed."

"You kissed her?" she asked in disbelief. She felt a stab of pain in her chest as she fought to get out the rest of her words. "Damon. Is this how its going to be now? I hurt your feelings and this is how you lash out at me?" she said, she'd known being apart for a couple of weeks was harsh, but he'd avoided her too. This made no sense, they'd practically just had sex on a bathroom sink, and he was kissing some other girl?

"No. I didn't plan it…Elena! He nearly yelled after her.

She'd had enough of the conversation and was standing up now heading for the door. If he loved her so much, he never would have betrayed her.

"You screwed up Damon. You're putting me in a position where I have to defend you and go against everything I believe in, and I might love you but this is ridiculous. I shouldn't have to beg you to be with me."

"No, wait, Elena," he said rising up from the floor to grasp her hand. "You don't understand the real issue here."

"Oh I don't?" she inquired, cocking her head and waiting.

"No. You don't, because I haven't told you."

"What is it Damon?" she sighed out, rolling her eyes and wondering what he could possibly tell her that would make her stay.

"I haven't told you the whole story, and I thought I would wait for Rick to explain himself but he's been so damn worried about scaring you off that he hasn't told you." he said sighing and looking into her eyes, "You're adopted Elena."

"I'm what? How do you know?" she ground out, tears stinging her eyes. She'd heard of some low comebacks but this took the cake. Did he honestly think he could win her back by telling her something this horrifying?

"Rick told me."

"How could he possibly know?" she asked, anger tinged in her voice mixing with her tears.

"Because he's your father Elena. He wanted to tell you."

"Oh my God." She said taking a step back as realization hit, "He said he wanted me to come in early tomorrow to tell me something. This is what he meant." She said her hand clasping over her mouth as she sunk into the sofa behind her. Her body was shaking uncontrollably, and her words were stuck in her throat.

"Yes. I'm telling you because there's more Elena. I don't think you were the only one he gave up for adoption."

Elena found her voice then, her heart constricting with fear and anger.

"What do you mean?"

"You have a sister, Elena, her name is Katherine Pierce." He said handing over his phone with a picture of her. It was a picture from his list of contacts and Elena's heart sunk even further down into her stomach.

"Oh my God…. I look like her. Why do I look like her?"

"Honestly, I believe you're twins." He said.

Elena's mind was a whirlwind; she froze looking at the woman on the phone in front of her. Their faces were exactly alike, but her hair was curled, and her make up was way more dramatic than hers, but the resemblance was astounding.

Millions of questions swirled around in her mind until it rested on two very specific ones. Firstly, how could she have a twin sister and know nothing about her? Secondly, why did Damon have her picture and contact information in his phone?

"Why is she in your phone Damon?" she asked her anger returning, she knew this could only mean one thing, but she hoped for a contradiction rather than confirmation.

"She's my ex, Elena."

Elena's tears began to flow freely at this point, and suddenly she couldn't stand to be near him anymore. Standing up to leave, she looked at him once more, glaring at him for using her. Had he only been with her because of their resemblance? What did that mean? That she was just some replacement until he could get back the real thing? Her stomach churned inside her as she remembered their afternoon at the Quarry and she felt like she was going to be sick.

"You could have told me." She said.  
"I wanted to tell you."

"No more lies Damon, only the truth. I can handle the truth Damon. As crazy as it is I can handle the fact that you and Stefan are related, and that my father is Alaric Saltzman and that I'm adopted and have a twin sister. I can accept the fact that the world is a much more mysterious place than I ever thought possible. But this, this lie, I cannot take. What am I to you? Who am I to you?" she said her voice breaking as she stood in front of Damon.

"You are not Katherine. You are the opposite of everything that she is,"

"And when did you figure that out? Before you kissed me? Before we slept together?" she asked waiting for him to say something. Anything.

"When we met I couldn't believe the resemblance. After that night, I spent the next days observing you, and watching how you worked and reacted to others around you, how you responded to me, and I realized how different you two were. I wanted to leave you alone, but once I knew you I couldn't. Elena you've bewitched me body and soul. I can't eat, or sleep or think about anything else but you."

"Well you should of thought of that when you were kissing _her_." She said turning to leave, and putting her hand on the door before he could reach her.

"Elena, stop, and listen to me," Damon begged, grabbing her arm, tearing her hand away from the door knob and turning her towards him. "Today was a mistake, and I should have known better. She used me, she's always used me, but with you it was different. You gave yourself to me completely without me ever having to try. I love you Elena, please let me remind you…." his voice tapered off as he leaned in to kiss her.

Her body responded instantly, she wet her lips anticipating what was to come. Allowing her head to instinctively move towards his without a thought. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't fight it. She couldn't fight him. Despite all of his faults. Despite all of the horrible things he had put her through, she couldn't stop herself from pressing her lips to his, or sighing as his hands found her hips and guided them to mold to his. She couldn't stop him from lifting her up bridal style as he carried her up the stairs, or kissing him passionately, as she kicked off her shoes leaving them behind on the stairs forgotten.

She knew fighting with him should have stilled the fire within her but it had only intensified her want for him. She needed him, and that truth she found, scared her most of all. Her dependency on him was effortless, as if she was made to love him. As he laid her on his enormous bed she took in her surroundings. She'd never been in his bedroom before. It was dark like him. Filled with browns and reds, and she loved it. She loved him, and she shamefully found she never wanted to leave him. Leaning back Damon discarded his button down shirt, and then leaned down to undo the button on her jeans. Her breath hitched as she noted his darkened blue eyes. The intense emotions she saw there only heightened her need for him. Her breath hitched as her pants slowly peeled away, and he drank her in. He was taking his time with her now, and the thought that he was cherishing her made her fall for him even more. Her shirt came off next along with her bra soon after, and finally her red lace underwear, which caused him to let out a tiny groan after he discovered them.

Before she realized it, she was naked before him, lying underneath him with small breaths escaping her mouth.

"You are mine…Elena." He breathed bending over and placing a chaste kiss on her freckled hipbone. "My Lena…" he said kissing her again and heading down towards the apex of her thighs. Her heart raced as she realized what he was going to do and she blushed. No one had ever kissed her there before, not even Stefan.

Instinctively she flinched, causing him to pause and look up at her.

"Is this ok?" Damon asked, waiting for permission to taste her.

"Its fine…Its just that its my first time."

"You mean you've never…" he said in disbelief.

"Never." She said, brushing his hair away with her hand.

"Then allow me to show you how good it can be." He said leaning down and placing his lips over her sensitive nub. The sensations that ignited within her were astounding. She'd never known she could soar so high before. His tongue and lips found her core soon after lapping at her center. Her hips rose to meet the friction, as he began adding two fingers into her. She gasped at the sensation of his tongue working her clit with his fingers moving in and out of her.

"Damon..ahhh." she ground out wanting more, needing more of him.

"I know baby, just let me enjoy you. Come for me." He said, blowing a cool stream of air over her wet nether lips.

Her body was overwhelmed with sensation, as his fingers continued their ministrations, as she rapidly reached her climax. Grabbing hold of his hair she came undone in his mouth as he drank up every last drop.

"Mm so sweet." He said, giving her one final kiss. Then he stood up undoing the button of his own pants and discarding them along with his socks and shoes on the floor. Like before, he was bare underneath and his cock sprang free before her. Gesturing towards his erection he said, "Now I don't suppose you could return the favor?"

Elena smirked, knowing exactly what he wanted and licked her lips in response. Pulling his hips towards her she bent over the bed and took him into her mouth.

"Fuck," Damon said as Elena sucked his head between her lips, her hand resting against his shaft as she took him in, and out of her mouth.

"That's perfect baby." He said encouraging her to do more. Sucking him in once again she decided to use her tongue, and found his sensitive skin near the head of his penis. He groaned in pleasure as she teased him, and then took him deep into her mouth, his cock hitting the back of her throat.

"Ahhh fuck baby, stop, you're gonna make me…" he said before pulling out abruptly and throwing her back onto his bed. He followed her soon after, joining her and lining his hardness up to her center.

"Are you sure?" he asked, knowing what they had gone through, she assumed he didn't want to take advantage of her.

"Yes, make love to me Damon." She said, allowing him to slowly enter her, as their worlds broke apart. She held fast to him, allowing the pleasure to continue to roll through her veins as he thrusted within her. Damon's hands roamed over her body, greedily wanting to remember every curve. Soon after Damon grabbed Elena and switched their positions so that he lay down on the mattress, allowing her to be on top. Elena loved the feeling of him beneath her, she had more control this way, and she loved the sight of his eyes taking her in. She swiveled her hips and relished in the fullness she felt having him inside her this way. His manhood was large, but she had somehow been able to take him in. He groaned as she continued to lower herself down over him taking him inch by glorious inch wanting all of him inside her.

"That's it baby, feel me." He said

Once he filled her to the hilt she began to move back and forth, causing magnificent friction between their bodies and sending them both to a land of euphoria.

As the pleasure intensified Elena could feel Damon growing harder beneath her. Raising his hand, she moaned in pleasure as he stimulated her clit with his thumb, urging her to release again.

"Come with me Elena." He demanded, causing her inner walls to crumble as he followed soon after her. He groaned out her name as his seed spilled into her, causing her to hit her peak once again and return back to reality.

Breathing hard he held her to him, keeping himself buried inside of her. She never wanted to let him go, but his breaths became even, and he drifted off to sleep in her arms. Elena wrapped her arms around them pulling the sheet over their entwined bodies. Elena carefully removed herself from him, feeling his manhood leave her, and lay across his torso completely sated.

Soon after reality began to seep in causing her to wonder if this had been the perfect way to say goodbye.

**********AUTHOR's NOTE*********

**All I can say is thank God for snow days ;) I cannot believe I've been able to post three amazing chapters in two days but its all thanks to my wonderful readers. **

**Just like all things, Damon and Elena will continue to try and get past these hard times, but will continue to have many challenges. Amongst the angst I hope you enjoyed the love scene. It was very wonderful to write, and I hope it satisfied your need for lemony goodness...**

**As always leave me a review and let me know what you think :)**

******Check out future spoilers/teasers or inspirational youtube vids on my twitter iHeart1202**


	24. Chapter 24

"I never thought we'd have a last kiss. Never imagined we'd end like this. Your name forever the name on my lips, just like our last kiss."

~Last Kiss, Taylor Swift

Ch. 24

Elena lay in Damon's arms watching him sleep and couldn't help the tear that flowed down her cheek as she thought about leaving him. In sleep his features looked relaxed and innocent, as if the tragedies he'd undergone had disappeared.

In this moment, she loved him. Irrevocably and painfully loved him with every fiber of her being, but she knew they couldn't be together.

She didn't want him, not like this. Not now when she found herself questioning every murmur of love, or every time he'd say her name. Even now thinking back on their lovemaking she doubted his praises and words. Had he said her name to keep from saying hers?

Katherine.

Was he making sure she was herself?

These thoughts plagued her, and she found herself torn by their meanings. She wanted to give him the chance to prove his love, but at the same time she couldn't bring herself to believe him or his intentions. Stefan had hurt her in so many ways, but he'd never cheated on her. He'd never gone where Damon had. How could he look at her and love her knowing the past he had with her sister.

Deciding she'd had enough, Elena quietly leaned over her sleeping prince, careful not to wake him. Gently and silently she pressed her lips to his one final time. Letting them rest there for a moment, memorizing the feel of his lips beneath hers. Savoring the feelings that rushed through her body and the touch of him under her skin.

Slowly she released him, leaning back and gliding her naked body off the bed. Tip toeing around the room, she found her clothing and slid on each article one by one carefully. Each piece she picked up she found held a story of when and where he had removed it. Her whole body ached as she dressed, remembering their pleasure together. Remembering him.

Finally dressed she looked back towards where his sleeping form on the bed would be. She wanted to say her last goodbye. Turning around she saw his torso reflecting the light of the moonlight streaming in. Saw his chest rising and falling with every breath he took, and she knew she would have done anything to make things different.

Holding back sobs she climbed down the stairs, sneaking out of the house and towards her SUV in the darkness. She needed to get home, take a shower and have a good long cry.

Leaving the house she noticed rain beginning to fall down, and clouds filling the sky. She nearly laughed at the irony of her emotions tying in with the sky. If she was crying, it seemed fitting that the sky should cry to.

Driving down the dark road, she allowed herself to let go of the tears that needed to fall. She knew he loved her, he had told her so, but her doubts of his love continued to plague her heart. Endless questions streamed throughout her mind. Had he loved Katherine? How long had they been together? Had they slept together? Planned a future together? All of these thoughts continued to spin around in her mind as her tears subsided.

Without warning, she noticed something in the road. Pressing her foot to the pedal she heard the squeal of her breaks on wet pavement as she turned her wheel attempting to miss the obstacle in the road ahead. Swerving she narrowly missed the pedestrian as she rammed her vehicle into a nearby tree. Her airbag exploded in front of her as broken glass from the windows rained down across her body. Hearing the thump of her windshield wipers, she attempted to focus. Disoriented and in pain she was acutely aware of a shadow in the road drifting closer to the wreckage just as her world faded into darkness.

* * *

The next morning Damon awoke to the sound of his phone buzzing on the floor. Turning over in his sheets, he was expecting to see Elena's body sprawled out beside him. When his hand hit emptiness next to him, he stilled and sat up. Glancing around the room he earnestly looked for any evidence of her. All he found was her delicious unforgettable scent on his sheets.

"Damn it!" he shouted, practically ripping the covers off of his body as he searched for his phone that continued to buzz.

Reaching under his bed, he located his pants and his phone in the left pocket.

"Elena." He spoke, responding immediately as he hit the answer button, not noticing who was calling him.

"Wrong girl." Replied the husky voice from the other end of the line.

"Katherine. What do you want?" he ground out, sighing in frustration as he attempted to locate articles of his own clothing. He needed to find Elena and talk to her. He knew she must have been hurt and confused about last night, and he still hadn't found the moment to tell her he was going to be a father, and her an Aunt…

"Is that any way to treat the woman that's carrying your child?"

"We still don't know how true that statement is." Damon ground out, "It could be anyone's for all I know."

"Ouch. That hurts me Damon. I thought we were on the same page."

"Well we're not. I love Elena, and I'm going to do anything I can to get her back. I'm done with this conversation. I need to find her."

"Just where were you planning on looking?" she cooed in response. Damon stopped still in his tracks. He knew that manipulative voice, and he wasn't feeling good about it at all.

"Where is she?"

"Well if you're looking for Elena I suggest you go to the hospital."

Damon's heart sunk in his chest as panic seized his senses.

"What happened?"

"Tragic, terrible thing…last night someone or something must have been in the road when she was trying to leave you. She's been in a terrible ordeal. Doctors still can't seem to revive her. Poor baby sister…she'll never know what a wonderful Aunt she could have made."

"Katherine what did you do? What did you do?!"

"Oh you know what happens when I don't get my way."

"You bitch! That was low even for you." He said his hand gripping the phone in anger.

"Very good Damon, two plus two, and it would have worked except for the fact that she was wearing her seat belt. Poor thing, it would have been so much easier had it been an instant death. Give my love to her when you see her." She said hanging up the line, while Damon's anger and worry continued to plague him.

He needed to find Elena and soon.

Throwing on the nearest outfit he raced to the hospital, hoping to reach her before it was too late.

* * *

_Beep. Beep._

"Clear!"

_Boom….Pain…._

Pounding hit Elena's chest and she gasped as breath finally filled her lungs once more.

"Good girl," the doctor breathed next to her. She handed the paddles to the nurse beside her while asking Elena, "Are you with us? Can you tell me your name?"

Elena, seemingly exhausted, nodded her head and looked up into the gentle woman's brown eyes.

"My name is Dr. Fell. You've been in a car accident. You're heart rhythm looks good for now, but you've sustained many injuries. You have a broken collarbone and bruised sternum, and seemed to have hit your head a lot harder than expected so we're going to be running some tests. I'll let you rest, but if your condition worsens we'll need to contact family. Is there someone we can call?"

Elena, barely able to breath let out one name from her lips,

"Damon Salvatore."

Before long exhaustion hit and the darkness claimed her once more.

***************AUTHORS NOTE*********************

**Yes Elena was in an accident. No I'm not going to tell you who caused it now, but I'm pretty sure you can decipher that for yourself. I'm hoping to wrap up this story soon, but it is quite possible there will be a sequel to it. If there is I would like some feedback from you, the readers, about whether you'd like to read more or have me continue with another story. I'm hoping you like this plot twist, but I assure you all is well that ends well.**

**Happy reading! **

**Please leave me a review, thank you! ~iHeart1202**


	25. Chapter 25

"Come up to meet you. Tell you I'm sorry, you don't know how lovely you are. I had to find you, tell you I need you. Tell you I've set you apart…Oh lets go back to the start." ~The Scientist, Coldplay

Ch.25

Damon's feet hit the floor of the hospital in a sleek steady rhythm, but all he could hear was the beating of his heart. Moments after he had hung up his cell on Katherine he had received an urgent message from the hospital. Damon's chest constricted as he attempted to focus on the nurses questioning.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, this is Mercy Regional Hospital. We are calling about a current patient here who is a Jane Doe. We haven't been able to locate any ID but she spoke your name when questioned. She's a young woman, around 20 years of age, long brown hair, brown eyes…" the nurse drifted off, hoping Damon would fill in the blanks for her.

It took him minutes to respond, he was still in shock over Elena being harmed at all. Even more so now that he knew what Katherine was capable of.

"Yes, her name is Elena Gilbert. She's my girlfriend. Is she going to be ok?" he croaked out.

_Girlfriend_…it was the first time he had uttered the word out loud. For all he knew it could be the last.

"Sir, I'm sorry but we really can't disclose any other information over the phone unless you're a living relative."

Shit. He knew he needed to get a hold of Little Gilbert, but he didn't have time.

He huffed into the phone wanting to say, '_Look lady, I don't know what fucking protocol you have to jump through but you could at least tell me if she's alive or dead?'_

Instead he breathed and attempted to gain composure.

"But if I come there, and show you some ID, you'll let me see her?"

"That depends entirely on the patients consent."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he demanded, reaching the hospital and parking with a jerk.

"Currently we don't know the cause for the injury. Her case is currently under investigation and we can't allow anyone else to see her at the present time."

"But she asked for me. Look, I'm already here I'll speak with you more about this shortly." Damon spat, clicking off his phone and trudging through the hospital. The smell of pine sol and Clorox immediately hit his senses and his stomach lurched. He hated hospitals. After his mothers' death he could barely find the strength to stand them. The pain in his heart came rushing back as soon as he realized he hadn't been inside a hospital since his mother's death. Now he was here for Elena, and the morbid thought instantly crossed his mind that this could be the last he saw of her as well. That individual thought tormented him, twisting his mind into a vortex of swirling despair. Determined, he walked faster toward the circulation desk.

He was going to find out what happened to her, and she was going to be all right if he had anything to do with it.

The sound of his heartbeat pounded loudly in his ears as he walked towards the emergency wing.

Finally reaching the receptionists desk he asked hurriedly.

"I'm here to see Elena Gilbert, where is she?"

The woman behind the counter looked even younger than Elena. Her light blonde hair was tied into a small knot at the back of her head, and her neon pink scrubs screamed 'newbie'.

"I'm sorry sir, we don't seem to have a patient here by that name. Is there another patient you're looking for?" she inquired, waiting for him to respond.

He read her nametag and acted on impulse, "Rebecca, is it? What a lovely name." Damon said noticing her smile spread at the mention of her name.

"Have we met?" she asked leaning forward with her lab charts.

"No, we haven't, but I have a feeling we're about to be very close."

The girl's cheeks turned pink and she came closer to him to ask, "Why is that?"

Damon loved insecure little Barbie dolls. It really wasn't fair the effect he could have on some of them.

"Because….we're going to share a secret." He replied, adding a smirk to his mouth and twitching his eyes.

Rebecca looked at him once more, hanging on his every word she asked, "What secret?"

"Oh you know…" he whispered, "the one where you tell me where the new Jane Doe is." He said, winking at her and causing the young woman to drop her charts. As she scrambled to pick them up off the floor, Damon joined her on the floor, and decided to drop the act.

She giggled up at him, and his face instantly changed to stone.

"Where is she blondie?"

"Uh…. down the hall room 206."

"Thank you. You've been most helpful in locating my _girlfriend_." He said smirking at her bemused expression as he left her in the dust.

Standing, he briskly walked down the hallway, attempting to avoid any official personnel. Reaching the door he turned the knob, ignoring the no trespassing sign, and drifted inside quickly locking it behind him.

Turning around he finally saw her, and couldn't believe the torment he felt as he gazed upon her. Her broken body was covered in tubes and wires. His eyes stared longingly at her cut up and bruised face. A cast held her arm in place as she slept soundly on the bed. Stepping closer to her, he finally heard the heartbeat he'd been so desperately waiting to hear.

He let out a breath knowing that until now he wouldn't have dared to breathe without her.

Coming up to her bedside Damon raised his hand and clasped her cool fingers under his. As soon as his hand felt secure inside hers he noticed the heart machines rapid beeping filling the room. He smiled knowing the effect he had on her even while she slept.

"Oh Elena, what did she do to you baby?" he asked, softly sitting down on the bed beside her listless body. He stroked her hand and let his other hand lift to smooth her tangled hair from her gauze-covered face.

Without warning he felt her body suddenly move beneath him, and her eyes open into his.

"Damon?" she groaned out, as his smile deepened at her recognition. He was so afraid she wouldn't know who he was.

"Yes, baby I'm here." He said leaning in to leave a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Mmmm." She hummed.

As he leaned back he noticed her eyes closing by the simple gesture.

He loved her so much.

"How do you feel?" he asked, hoping that these quack pots they called doctors had at least given her some decent morphine.

"I'm fine. What about you?" She said, putting on a brave face for him. That was his Elena, always putting others needs first instead of herself.

"Personally,I'm dandy." he said smugly then allowing himself to be serious asked, "do you know what happened?" gently continuing to hold her hand.

"I was leaving….and I was crying," she whispered out so softly Damon almost hadn't heard her.

Then it dawned on him. She had been ready to _leave him._

The thought alone felt like a wrecking ball straight to his heart.

"Elena…" he breathed, hoping to change her mind.

"Wait…"she said, lifting her hand, "I was crying and it was raining. Then there was something…. someone in the road." She said, her face constricting as she attempted to recall the memory.

"Did you see who it was?" he asked. He wanted to make them pay, whoever they were for doing this to her.

"I think it was a man, but I couldn't make him out. It was dark, he was in black and the next thing I knew I was wrapped around a tree."

"How did you get here? Did someone find you?" he asked, attempting to find out if Katherine had been the one to call in.

"My SUV has allstar, they were alerted I think, and I assume the rest just fell into place."

She said wincing at an invisible pain, her hand lifting to press against her head.

"What hurts baby?" he asked. He still didn't know the extent of her injuries and he was worried.

"I have a broken clavicle, a bruised sternum and a bump on the head but I'll be fine Damon."

Ignoring her insistent murmurs that she was fine, Damon reached for a washcloth on her bedside table. Walking to the sink he turned on the faucet, wet it, and returned, placing it on her head.

She sighed in comfort, as his strokes gently patted and soothed her. He loved being able to take care of her.

After a few moments Elena quietly reached up and stilled his hand with her own, causing the washcloth to drop between them and their fingers to intertwine.

Feeling her hand in his, Damon's heartbeat sped up and he leaned in, wanting to kiss her. He hoped to remind her of how much he needed her, and still wanted her.

Unfortunately in that moment, Elena pulled away stating, "I can't…Damon. It's not right."

His hand fell instantaneously.

"Can't, or won't?" he countered.

"Both." She replied.

"Well I know this isn't the best time to talk about this, but we should discuss what happened last night."

"Damon, I just can't deal with this right now." She said, recoiling from him even further.  
Finally catching her drift, he stood up and leaned over her, his hands grasping at the bedposts on either side of her. Taking into account that this new position effectively alarmed her, he smiled inside. If there were anyway he was going to get Elena Gilbert's attention, this would be it.

His piercing blue eyes remain fixed inches away from hers. He could practically feel her breath hitch as he licked his lips, and watched as her eyes drifted towards them. The magnetic pull between them had returned with a vengeance and he could tell that she felt it too.

"If you want to forget what happened fine, but I can't Elena. I can't forget you, or us and I refuse to let you go." He said, hoping that he was effectively breaking down all her walls.

Without a sound he crushed her mouth to his, reveling in the feeling of her sensuous lips beneath his own. There he stood, their mouths the only thing connecting their bodies, as if put together by an arch of heavenly fire. Although he wanted to continue demonstrating his desire he forcefully tore himself away from her.

"What? … Wait, Damon." she said as he stood to leave.

"I'm glad that you're alright Elena, but I can see that I've hurt you. Possibly even worse than what you're body is going through right now. I know you need time."

"It's more than that Damon," she said, but he lifted his finger and held it over her mouth, effectively stopping her from speaking so he could continue.

"Listen Elena, I'll wait as long as it takes. If it takes weeks, months, heck even years I'll wait. You are my life Elena. I don't care who knows it. I don't care about Katherine or Rick or anyone else. I'm not going to let someone else's idea of who I am, or who you are, stop me from loving you or building a future with you." He said above her, causing her eyes to well with tears.

"_You are mine_." He said emphasizing each word.

"What if I can't get past this Damon?" she asked, her voice breaking.

"Then I'll be here Elena, everyday to remind you why I chose you." He said simply, causing her tears to finally fall.

"Just in case you need something to remind you." He said, simultaneously slipping his hand into the back pocket of his jeans and drawing out his wallet. Opening the worn leather, he carefully slid out a small picture. The paper was worn as if it had been held a hundred times, and when he handed it to her he could practically see the hope and longing fill her eyes. Sensing he needed to leave her with her thoughts, he turned and walked out of the room wishing that it had been enough. That he could finally be enough.

* * *

Elena's heart tightened in her chest as she stared down at the image in her hands. The picture seemed to be from a million years ago, even though it had only been a month. The image was of them, her and Damon.

She suddenly recalled their first date at the Quarry. The joy she'd felt as he'd led her from the porch, the anticipation she'd had as they'd neared the water. She'd been so focused on her past with Stefan, but he had made her see past all of that. They'd parked and he'd shown her his world. She remembered stealing his camera, and taking a picture of them. Knowing what it must of meant for him to instantly trust her with something as valuable as his camera should have tipped her off. But no, she'd been too captivated with the idea of tarnishing Stefan's memory that she had forgotten. She'd forgotten what it had truly meant to have him look at her the way he had. To _love _her way he had. The picture in her hands was proof enough of that. It was of their first kiss at the Quarry. The one where he'd leaned in unexpectedly, and she'd snapped a picture. Looking at the result she could practically see his want for her coming to life in her hands. The tears she thought had dried up were coming up again as she remembered that day. Leaning back into her mattress she held the picture to her heart and let her grief overtake her.

_3 hours later…_

Elena had slipped in and out of consciousness for hours. Recognizing the sound of heels clicking the ground by her bedside she awoke to a startling discovery. The eyes she was looking intently upon reflected her own completely.

"Katherine."

"Hello sweet baby sister." She said leaning over Elena's bedside railing. The look in her sister's eyes sent an eerie chill through her body. Without thinking about it Elena instinctively withdrew, backing up towards her pillows behind her.

"Oh, don't be frightened," she said icily, "We're going to have so much fun together."

****************AUTHORS NOTE******************

**Well this is officially the most angst filled chapter I've ever written, but I'm surprisingly proud of it. Sure hope you enjoyed the read. Stay tuned for more Katherine baby drama. Can't wait to see what scandal she's got up her sleeve...**

**ps I'm still contemplating a sequel, but if I don't trust me I won't leave you hanging with a cliff hanger ending. I hate those.**

**Thank you for all your support! Love you all! Review please ;)**


	26. Chapter 26

Ch. 26

"I never saw it coming, wouldn't have suspected it. I underestimated just who I was dealing with. She had to know the pain was beating on me like a drum. She underestimated just who she was stealing from. " Better Than Revenge, Taylor Swift

Elena's heart pounded in her chest as she took in the sight before her. Katherine Pierce, her long lost twin had finally arrived, but instead of joy she felt dread.

"What do you want?" Elena ground out meekly, trying to piece together why she would chose this moment to come and meet her.

"Well, a little birdie told me you'd gotten involved in a terrible accident. I knew I had to come check on you and see if I could be of any help." She said nearing her bedpost and taking the IV cord in her hands that produced Elena's morphine drip. Before she could ask, Katherine had bent the cord, effectively stopping the medication from pumping through her sister's veins.

"What are you doing?" Elena asked, sitting up to stop her.

Katherine didn't care; she shoved Elena back with one arm and leaned over the railing, looking deeply into her eyes.

"You don't want to do that sis," She said icily. Elena swallowed hard and began feeling the pain returning from her wounds.

"How do we look exactly alike?" Elena breathed out noticing the striking resemblance.

"You're asking the wrong questions my dear. Just know you need to be careful. Someone might get the wrong idea and come looking for you. I don't think you want that to happen do you?" she said, causing Elena's voice to dry up in her throat. She could tell she was being threatened, she simply didn't know why, or what she had done to cause such a reaction.

"What do you want Katherine? I haven't done anything to you." She spat out anxiously.

"On the contrary, you have something I desire, and I know you've only known me for about five minutes so listen closely. I always get what I want." She stated, pulling the IV out of her sister's arm in one fluid motion, and hitting the stop button when the machine began to beep.

Elena's mind raced at what this could mean. No medicine meant no more painkillers, and that meant in a few moments she would be in extreme pain. She held her useful arm as close as she could to her body with difficulty.

"I haven't taken anything from you." She said, hoping to get rid of the pent up tension she's seemed to cause.

"Oh but you have. You see about three months ago I was up near the NYU campus. Mom and I've been staying in New York for some time now, and I met this drop dead gorgeous man. He had dark brown hair, piercing blue eyes I think you're familiar with him." She said, leaning back with her arms crossed.

"Damon." Elena breathed out, "This is about _him_?"

"Now I don't want you to get the wrong idea sis. I mean we had our fun, but I cut him loose when he discovered the truth. That I was too young for him, and well that I'd just been using him for sex really."

Elena stared at the girl before her in disbelief. Was she really that brazen to admit something that crass right in front of her? Her anger seethed knowing she must realize that her and Damon were together now. Hadn't he told her?

"Then why trouble him now?" Elena asked, "Its not like you miss him or anything."

"Well you see I would sis, but the truth is he left something of his behind."

"What could he possibly leave with you?" Elena asked, watching as Katherine walked up to her bed once more and placed her hand on her stomach.

"Well…I was going to wait until later to break the happy news, but you're going to be an Aunt Elena." Katherine said, glowing with a sinful smile that caused Elena's heart to sink deeper into her chest.

"You're pregnant." She said in shock. She'd known Damon had a past with her sister, that wasn't new. The fact that she was now carrying his child repulsed her.

"Does he know?" she asked timidly still finding her voice.

"Of course he knows, he was so very happy about it yesterday. I'm surprised he didn't tell you. You see I know you two have gotten…what's the term I want to use? Close?" she asked, going and gently sitting at the edge of Elena's hospital bed.

"I'm just here to let you know, I don't think that will be the case for much longer."

"You don't know that, you don't know him. You don't know us." She said, attempting to defend what she knew he must have felt for her. Even if Katherine was being truthful and telling her she told him yesterday, they'd conquered so much already. He loved her, and she couldn't imagine him lying to her now. The idea that this was real was something she couldn't even process, not after he'd come to tell her he'd loved her long enough to wait for her. If he truly knew about the baby then how could he possibly tell her that?

"I don't believe you." She said flatly.

"You don't do you?" she said, "Then I'll show you. Feel this," she said, instantly grabbing Elena's hand and pulling it to her stomach.

As much as Elena squirmed to pull her hand away, she couldn't deny that once her hand landed on her sister's stomach she felt it. Her rounded abdomen was slightly visible through her loose black shirt, and even she couldn't deny the sensation she felt when something bumping against her flesh.

"See? He likes you, my little kicker…" she said proudly.

The blood in Elena's face began to drain out as she realized what this meant.

Damon was going to be a father to Katherine's child, her sister's child.

Not able to hold her tears back any longer, Elena let them fall.

"Awe, look how happy you are for us. Well I'm glad to see you've accepted defeat. I'll leave you to it then." She said slipping the nurse call button down in her lap, "and one more thing. If you chose to come between me and Damon again, I assure you, your next accident won't be something you can come back from."

She stated, as she stood and walked out the door, slamming it shut behind her. Feeling utterly helpless and alone, Elena sunk deeper into her mattress succumbing once again to the tears that enveloped her new found grief once more.

Hours after her tears had stopped, and the pain in her arm returned, Elena pressed the call button again. A nurse came in followed by her doctor to deliver her test results and perform her vitals.

"How did this happen?" grumbled the nurse, noticing Elena's IV drip on the floor by her bedside.

"Sorry, I had an accident." Elena replied.

"No worries dear, I'll have you set up with a new one in no time." she replied warmly, taking her arm in her hands, and gently taking off the old tape that had remained there.

"Actually that's what I came to let you both know." Dr. Meredith Fell said, causing the nurse and Elena to look up and listen.

"Elena, your injuries when you arrived were substantial, and at the time we weren't aware of your delicate situation."

"What delicate situation?" Elena asked, fear slicing her to her core.

"Well we always run a blood test when a patient comes in, and usually when a woman is past childbearing years we check for signs of pregnancy."

"I don't understand…" Elena said, shaking her head.

"Your test came back positive for pregnancy…. Elena?" the doctor said, as she sunk back into her bed in a daze.

She was pregnant.

It was Damon's for sure; she hadn't slept with anyone else….

"Elena? Can you hear me?"

Anyone else…

"Ms. Gilbert?"

"Its not his." Elena said, realization lining her face.

"Excuse me?" the doctor asked, looking perplexed by the state of her patient.

"I'm sorry, you um…you were saying?" Elena asked, urging the doctor to continue.

"Right well, I simply wanted to perform a ultrasound of your uterus to make sure everything is alright. Generally with this much stress the fetus' chances for survival are slight, and with the morphine being pumped through your veins, well lets just say I'm glad you yanked it out when you did."

"Wait…something is wrong with my baby?" Elena asked, panic seizing her senses.

"Not necessarily, we just need to check and see."

"Then what are you waiting for?" she practically screamed, causing the nurse and the doctor to jump at her harsh voice.

Being demanding wasn't something Elena was generally used to being, but when it came to her unborn child, she wasn't taking any chances.

Following her wishes Dr. Fell went out into the hall and rolled in the ultrasound equipment. Hooking up the monitor. Elena's heartbeat drummed in her ears as she felt the cool jelly being placed on her abdomen.

Taking in a breath she felt the metal of the wand touch her stomach and looked up hesitantly towards the screen.

"Damn…" Meredith said while brushing the wand over Elena's abdomen in one precise location.

"What is it?" Elena asked, fear lining her voice.

"You're one lucky lady Ms. Gilbert." She said with relief.

"Why is that?"

"Because it seems to be that the fetus is just fine. Now I am a bit concerned though. It looks as if you're still within the first trimester of your pregnancy. Generally this is a very delicate time, and you should still remain cautious. If you experience any bleeding, call me and we'll make sure everything is all right. Other than that I think its best to clear you from the emergency floor. I want to keep you over night just for observation, and then you'll be free to go."

"Thank you doctor." She said as the nurse wiped off the jelly with a paper towel and discarded it.

"Now I know you must have a lot of questions regarding your current state. Please contact Dr. Jo Hastings. She's in charge of pediatrics and can get you set up."

Elena nodded, and the doctor left the room.

Once the nurse had her hooked up on a regular IV drip and some prenatal vitamins she left, and Elena finally let the reality of the situation sink in.

She was pregnant.

Katherine was pregnant at the same time, and possibly with the same man's child. However, Elena refused to believe the irony. She couldn't possibly remember missing a period, but then again she had been so enraptured with the drama surrounding her situation that she hadn't exactly kept the best records. According to the gestation period she'd had to of conceived a month ago…the Quarry. She smiled to herself remembering their first time. How could they have known what this would be the result for that day?

All she knew was there was one person she needed to call. Carefully she reached across her body and grabbed her phone. Damon had left it by her bedside table, and she took it into her hands, trembling.

What would he say?

What would he do?

Pressing the call button she held in a breath.

"Hey." She said

"Hey." A voice replied

"I'm at the hospital, and I can't explain everything right now, but I need you to come get me. I think I'm in trouble." She said.

"Ill be right there, " Alaric replied, and she sunk into the bed. She needed a father, now more than ever, and if he was hers she needed him now more than words could say.

**********AUTHORS NOTE******************

**Well there you have it, two buns in two ovens.**

**SPOILER: one is in fact Damon's...you'll just have to wait and see which one. **

**I know you could kill me...love you guys! Keep reading/reviewing!**


	27. Chapter 27

"Damn, ain't it crazy when you're loveswept? You'll do anything for the one you love. Cause anytime that you needed me I'd be there It's like you were my favorite drug. The only problem is that you was using me, in a different way that I was using you. But now that I know its not meant to be you gotta go I gotta wean myself off of you." ~Rehab, Rihanna

Ch. 27

Damon slammed the car door with enough force to break the glass.

"Gad Damn it!" he yelled into the oblivion.

He had no idea how, but knew deep inside of his soul that life from now on would never be the same again.

It had all began the moment Katherine had shown up outside of the hospital. Her kitty claws in full view, as well as her baby bump. Just the sight of her like that had made his heart beat rapidly in his chest. He couldn't' remember ever feeling this nervous, or this out of control in his life.

She had been leaning up against his car, a long strand of curly hair wrapped around a finger, with her eyes devouring him as if he were her next meal.

"Katherine, what are you doing here? Returning to the scene of the crime so soon? That's too predictable, even for you." He stated, glaring right back into her brown eyes. Two could play at this game.

"Well I thought I'd go pay my little sis a visit. Seeing as she's tied up at the moment though, I thought you'd like another chance to finish where we left off." She said shamelessly as her hand lifted up to tangle into his long brown hair. He'd let it grow long, and it had reminded him he really did need to get it cut…

"Don't talk about her like that." He demanded, his icy glare cutting into hers. Soon after he jerked his head away smirking as she sighed in frustration.

"You're so mean to me, and very rough…I like this Damon" she said, closing the gap between their bodies. There had been one point in his short life that he would have fallen for her seduction. A moment when he had wanted her, and craved the body she offered, one he would have succumbed to immediately without question, but not now. Not ever again.

Although, it didn't mean he couldn't have some fun of his own at her expense.

"Katherine…" he purred, leaning closer to her, his arm stretching out to trap her against his car. Her scent wafted towards him as the summer breeze blew her hair across her face, and he could practically feel her arousal emanating from the pores on her skin.

"You know there's a building next to us filled with a dozen beds," he said seductively raising his hand to cup her face. The hitch in her breath was just what he needed to hear as he added, "go find one." Then pushed her back, effectively removing her from leaning against his car door.

She huffed and stood up more erect, as he bent to unlock the door to his car.

"Fine, be that way, but trust me you'll regret it."

"Like I care." he said, sitting down inside of his vehicle, and turning on the ignition.

" You don't seem to get it Damon, I want what I want. I don't care what I have to do to get it. If you don't remove her from your life I'll make her suffer so much, she'll wish she was dead."

"If you so much as touch a hair on her head I'll…"

"You'll what Damon? Get rid of me? Of our unborn child? Or did you conveniently forget that part?" she said, looking at him as her hand went to rest against the swell of flesh beneath her breasts.

"If that's my child, and that's a major if. You've lied to me before, what makes me think this time is any different. For all I know that's a strap on bump. I honestly wouldn't put it past you." He said his hands going to rest against the steering wheel signaling that he was ready to leave and go find Little Gilbert. It was the right thing to do, and no one had alerted him of the fact his sister was lying in a hospital bed somewhere. He knew if it was Stefan he'd want to know, even if they were on the outs.

Katherine placed her hands on his door, effectively stopping him from driving off. She leaned her head inside of his open car window. Her face inches from his.

"This isn't fake Damon, this is real." She reached down and grabbed his hand.

"Feel that? He's kicking. That's right it's a boy. I found out last week."

Damon's hand landed on her soft stomach and there was no denying the small bumps that responded to his simple touch. His heart melted, and he looked up into her face in disbelief.

"You really are pregnant." He said, doubt fading from his mind.

"I really am Damon." She replied sweetly, hope beginning to fill her eyes.

He took his hand away and sunk back into the seat of his car. He didn't know what to do. On one hand he was in love with Elena. His sweet, innocent, caring Elena who only wanted the best for them. So much so, that she had practically sacrificed their love to stay away from him. He couldn't loose her, but he knew this pregnancy meant just that.

"Alright then, what do you want from me then? Congratulations? Your condolences? What? Why are you here Katherine?"

"I told you before Damon, I came back for you. Whether you want to believe me now or not it's the truth. I want you to care. I want you to go to the stores with me and pick out baby clothes. I want you to want this too." She said, and for a moment he'd actually believed her

"Look Kat. I need time to think. I don't know how to even go about processing this. You didn't want me remember? You left my ass three months ago, and now you show up pregnant and I'm just supposed to know what the right thing to say to you is? Well I'm sorry but I don't know. I have a life I've moved on ok? This ship has sailed. And if what you're saying is true. If that is my little boy in there, trust me he will know who his father is. I will love him better than my own father loves me, but that doesn't mean you can make this work for us. I'm in love with Elena, Katherine. I'm not letting her go, and I'll protect her till the day I die. I promise you that." He said, his fists clutching the steering wheel as she leaned back and took in a long breath.

"You have no idea what you've just done." She said, and with that she turned around and headed into the hospital.

"Shit." He said, opening his car door, and racing after her.

Reaching the double doors to enter the emergency wing he was "restrained" due to breaking protocol before. The dumb Barbie girl must have alerted security. He'd screamed to see Elena, but it was no use. Katherine would have her way, and unless he played by Katherine's rules, Elena would suffer dearly for it.

Now he'd put the pedal to the metal so to speak just to gain some distance from the situation and ended up right back to where it had all began, The Quarry. He looked out across the water, his palms sweating, and his heart racing.

He was going to be a father; at least the thought had entered his mind that there was a 70% chance Katherine was telling the truth. He knew it had been awhile, and that he might not have even been the only man in her life, but that was just it. He knew nothing about who she really was. He only knew what little she had fed him. Stories and sex trademarks that did nothing to signify who actually embodied the legendary Katherine Pierce.

If she'd ever been in love before him, or even where she grew up he couldn't tell a soul. Honestly this was the most fucked up thing to ever happen to him in his life, and he'd done some doozies.

Sighing he ran his hands threw his hair and looked out at the water once more. He knew what he had to do to protect Elena, but he didn't know if he could go through with it.

He had to tell Elena about Katherine, and the baby. Mostly about the baby, but also about how he had to let her go.

According to Katherine it had to be convincing if he wanted to keep her safe. As long as Katherine was around Elena was in mortal danger. She could also find out about the baby, and if it really were his he would loose her anyway.

He wished to God for a way to make this work, but this was the only way that kept all the questions at bay. True he could lie to Katherine and maintain a secret relationship with Elena, but how long would that last? Days? Weeks?

He was selfish, and he wanted forever…the thought alone tormented him.

He truly believed Elena was everything he wanted, but he couldn't have her.

"I'm in love with a woman I can never have." He said out into the wind, smirking at the irony.

Just then his phone buzzed in his pants. Reaching down he took the phone out of his back pocket and answered it once he saw the familiar number.

"Hey you." He said huskily. He couldn't help it, the idea of her calling him while he was at the Quarry brought back too many memories.

"Damon." She said timidly. Her voice was constricted; as if she were crying and his senses went on high alert right away putting aside the fact that he needed to be completely distant and aloof.

"Elena? What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"No, I'm ok Damon. I'm just calling to tell you I'm being checked out of the hospital."

"Oh," he said letting out a sigh of relief. "I thought they'd at least keep you for a night. Do you want me to come and pick you up?" he said turning to get back into his car and drive to her.

"No Damon. I don't think it's a good idea for you to see me right now." She said quietly. He got the sense that she was having difficulty getting the words out.

"Why?" he asked, fury lining his tone.

"Because I don't want you to." She explained.

His body went cold with shock.

"What are you trying to say?" he said in disbelief.

"I can't do this anymore with you Damon."

"Do what? Visit you in a hospital?" he said, panic seizing his emotions. The irony of this situation was lost on him. He knew he was supposed to be saying all of these things to her, but once he'd heard her voice he couldn't go through with it. Katherine be damned.

"Elena, you can't give up on us."

"I already have, Damon. Don't call me. Don't follow me. I'll be back at work for a little bit, but only to get my things. You won't see me again. I promise."  
After that she hung up the phone. Damon heard the resonating click, and then nothing.

No more melodic voice, just the sound of his own heart breaking as the sun sank down over the water of the pensive lake before him.

* * *

Days turned into weeks.

Weeks turned into a month and before Elena knew it, it was time for Liz Forbes' big birthday bash, and Elena was well aware of the fact.

"Elena! Could you go set up the stair-rail? My mom needs to have the most perfect entrance ever!" Caroline asked, pulling cards for the seating chart. Elena sighed, she knew this day was important to her best friend but it had really become a bit much.

1500 feet of ribbon, 300 quest invitations, and enough masks to fit onto a thousand people.

Caroline had her hoodwinked into somehow helping her with decorations down on the Lockwood Mansion. Apparently her and Tyler had been planning this extravaganza for sometime, and it was slowly turning into a town event for the Sheriff. It was really sweet what they were doing for Caroline's mom, but if Elena saw one more piece of ribbon she would vomit.

Or was that the morning sickness?

Well at any rate, as bestie to the host it was her soul duty to carry out anything and everything Caroline Forbes threw at her whether or not she felt up to it. Lucky for her best friend she had shed her dreaded cast a day ago and could finally move things with two arms instead of one. Whoever said living with one arm was easy had been seriously delusional. She was simply thrilled just to be able to dress herself properly by herself from now on. Poor Jeremy and Bonnie had really had to step it up the past couple of weeks. Helping her dress, and eat had not been an easy task but the two of them had somehow managed it with ease.

Now aside from the fact of her newly healed collarbone, Elena was prepared to do anything to help. Picking up the box of decorations labeled "staircase" she headed towards the front of the house. Elena marveled at how many colored bows and lights one box could contain just for the main entrance.

Nearing the railing she caught a glimpse of herself in a nearby mirror. Her hair was swept up into a ponytail, her eyes were standing out a little sharper than usual. She was wearing sweats, but some might say she was positively glowing. However, Elena felt anything but joyful about her current state. Since the night of her dreaded car crash, and life altering news many things had happened in Elena's life that were deemed unbelievable.

First, being that she had a living father whom she'd never known existed until a month ago.

Elena smiled as she remembered the day she'd called him into her hospital room.

He'd come barging in minutes later, demanding to the nurse staff why he hadn't been informed of her condition immediately. When they explained he wasn't family, he had gestured behind him to Jeremy, whom he had brought with him huffing behind with an anxious expression.

"I'm her brother, Jeremy Gilbert. What's going on where is she?" he exclaimed, making the blonde intern squirm in her skin.

"Right this way," she said, sauntering toward Elena's room.

As soon as he entered, Jeremy had flown to her side, never wanting to leave.

"Elena, what happened?" he'd asked eventually through tears and reassuring hand squeezes, while Alaric stood in the darkness beside the door.

Elena figured at the time he was thinking of a way to tell her what she already knew. That he was her real father.

However, her brother was distraught and needed to know what had happened so she did her best to fill him in on the events of the dreaded evening.

"I was in an accident and wrecked the SUV, I'm so sorry Jer. It was dark, and I was crying."

"Why the hell were you crying and driving at night?" he asked, unaffected by the fact that their family car was now smashed to smithereens, and it was the only one they had.

"I know you're going to disapprove but I was with Damon last night."  
"Damon?" both men said at once, causing Elena to stop and stare.

"Yeah, we um…had some unresolved business to discuss."

"It better not be the kind of business I'm thinking of." Said Rick, he was becoming quite protective, and she couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Rick…" she said awkwardly wanting this conversation to end.

"So, what did the prick do this time?" Jeremy said guiding the subject down a less awkward route.

"Oh you know the usual…" she said, _kissed his ex, claimed his undying love for me, and oh yeah I have a twin sister that he's dated and looks exactly like me. She's so much like me that we're even having babies together. Oh and did I mention our father is Alaric Saltzman?_

But instead she said, "declaring his love, and me running away per usual."

Jeremy sighed believing it. Elena had a tendency to run away from every guy who had ever told her the dreaded "L" word.

"Still sis, I'm relieved you're ok. You scared the shit out of me"

"Oh Jer." She said, hugging him as best she could with one arm.

The rest of the day had been a surreal blur. Alaric had finally come clean in front of Jeremy. Telling Elena he was her father, and that she was in fact adopted. When she brought up that she knew he hadn't seemed surprised. Seems he knew Damon wouldn't be able to keep the secret for long and it was only a matter of time before she'd found out the truth. The only real bombshell had been him learning about fathering another daughter he'd never met. Apparently Isobel had kept many more secrets then she'd let on.

Once the boys had left to check her out, Elena had looked at the phone beside her bedside once again. She knew she needed to call Damon. That she had to come clean about her test results. That she was pregnant, and it was his, but she didn't feel worthy enough to tell him. She felt like her news was in second place. Like the girl who runs up to the house to tell everyone that the ice cream truck is down the street when they already have their ice cream. She felt irrelevant. As if her being pregnant didn't matter. What was the point anyway? There was no guarantee that she would even be able to keep the pregnancy. The doctor had said she could still miscarry and she wasn't going to turn Damon's world upside down just because she may or might not be carrying his second child.

She had to end it, and she had.

When she'd hung up the phone she'd cried, possibly harder than she ever had in her life. Her soul mourning for the loss of its mate, and she had been in agony for days. She didn't eat hardly enough to keep alive, until she realized she was eating for two. Then she'd eaten, and done her best to pick herself up and move on.

She'd won.

Katherine had won.

It had been a month, and Damon had followed her precise wishes. He hadn't called. Other than a few drunken messages on her answering machine he'd left her completely alone and she missed him terribly.

Being a martyr really blew.

"Elena! There you are!"Caroline squealed behind her, nearly making her drop the bow in her hands as the scissors she had been holding slid down towards the marble steps.

"Don't start on the stairwell just yet. I have a better idea."  
Caroline said with an ornery glint in her eye.

"Oh no Care…I know that look. What do you have in mind?"  
"Jell-O shots of tequila, and Karaoke at the Grill tonight. I want to celebrate the final touches from setting up for the party. All we've done for the past two weeks has been all work and no play. What do you say?"

How could she say no? She hadn't told anyone yet about the pregnancy and she wasn't going to start now by saying she couldn't drink and be a buzz kill.

"Fine" she replied, rolling her eyes.

Caroline grabbed her by her good arm, causing the box beneath her to drop to the foyer, and both girls stepped outside. Giggling they drove off towards the promise of fun nights and freedom.

**************AUTHORS NOTE***************

**Elena karaoke night to follow…a certain someone might just be there to see her sing out her heart ;)**

**be kind. read/review**


	28. Chapter 28- A Night on the Town

"God it just feels so good…I watched his wildest dreams come true, not one of them involving you. " Misery Business, Paramore

Ch.28

Elena drifted into the grill with anticipation and dread. This was supposed to be a night of celebration, but her body reflexively wanted to run in the other direction and hide into a corner.

"Party girls have arrived!" Caroline bellowed from the front entrance as Elena took in the wild scene before her. The grill had been transformed into a watering hole for the adolescent craze that was Mystic Falls High. Almost all of her senior class was partying to tunes blaring from a newly found sound system in the main area. It appeared someone had rented out the area for the evening. Tables had been stowed away to reveal a dance floor, and most of her old classmates were there swaying to the beat. It reminded Elena of a mosh pit, or a watering hole in Africa. Everyone was acting as if they were attempting to forget their worries to the music, and she soon found herself lost in the atmosphere. Following Caroline she began dancing in the center of the room to the beat.

For a minute she forgot about her secret. She forgot about Katherine, and Damon. She even forgot about the fact that she was supposed to be on her best behavior. She finally let go. Laughing, she danced with Caroline and soon found Bonnie and Jeremy to their right, along with Matt and Tyler.

"Hey guys!" she screamed over the music.

"Hey!" they said, moving to gather around the bar towards the back.

"When did you all get here?"  
"You're not serious right?" Tyler asked her.

"Why?"

"Well I pretty much invented the night." He said with a smug grin on his face.

"Oh really? What did you have to do to swing this?" Caroline asked cattily towards Tyler. Seems they were on a bit of a rotten streak with each other lately, but Elena couldn't figure out why. Maybe it was because of the trashy girl thrown over him…

"Blackmail pure and simple. I also had your Mom detained so she couldn't ruin the evening Care." He said with a smug wink.

"Whatever. I just came for some fun. Lets have some drinks!" she said, calling the bartender over. Elena glanced down at her shoes, finally recognizing the eyes of the person behind the bar.

"Hey aren't you all a little…pubescent to be asking for alcohol?" purred Damon from behind the counter.

"Um…aren't you a little too stiffed shirted to be manning the bar? Where's the new guy? What was his name, Mason?" Caroline asked.

I was surprised that she knew to ask about another bartender. Id lost track of a lot of things since I had left a month ago. Especially how broken Damon seemed to look. His normal straight confident stature was now bent over, and his smile didn't seem to reach his eyes. The ones that were once light blue had now turned to deep grey, like the sea during a storm.

"He's busy not working at the moment. As usual I had to step in, surprise surprise. Not that you care Barbie, I'm sure you have your own magic ways of getting a man to give in." he said seductively.

Elena knew he was baiting her, but she couldn't stop herself from looking up and tossing him her nastiest look. How dare he flirt with other girls in front of her?

"Come on, give it up Mr. Boring, we know you have a soft spot for a certain someone…" Caroline said glancing at Elena.

"Yeah come on…Damon." Elena ground out.

As soon as she said his name, his eyes finally met hers.

Her world stopped. She couldn't breathe. Rationally she knew it must of only been a few seconds but it had felt like forever. She'd missed his stare. Missed his warmth around her…most of all the way he made her feel.

The stupid pregnancy hormones didn't help either. If it hadn't been for the counter in front of her she would have mounted him right then and there.

"Fine Barbie, I give." He said, picking up a bottle of tequila and filling six shot glasses. "But don't come crying to me when you're sorry in the morning."

"I'm always sorry in the morning." Caroline said with a grin, and threw back her drink instantly.

Glancing down Elena knew the last shot glass was for her, as everyone else followed Caroline's example, but she couldn't. Even though she hadn't admitted it out loud she wanted this baby. She wanted to keep it as long as possible, and the idea of losing it to a night of drunken mistakes was not something that seemed at all appealing to her.

What was she going to do? Everyone was waiting for her to join in, and even Damon had stilled to notice that she hadn't taken her shot.

"Come on Virgin Mary." Caroline groaned next to her. "Just take a shot, what harm could it do? You'd think you'd be downing like three of these at once right now." She said with confidence. Caroline had known how stressed Elena had been after the whole Damon thing, and given his current proximity she wouldn't have blamed her one bit for drowning her sorrows.

"I need a beer." Elena said with a grin. She'd thought quickly on her feet and come up with a solution. She was going to Coyote Ugly this bitch.

Damon hesitantly slid a beer bottle and glass towards her. With ease Elena slid the glass over towards Matt on her right and gave him a coyish grin.

"Here, we can share." She said flirtatiously. Due to the fact that Matt was in a haze he fell for her charms instantly and accepted the glass as she poured in the amber liquid. Leaving her bottle half empty.

Finally she took the shot and threw it back, careful not to swallow, and then took the bottle to her lips. To everyone around her, it seemed daring. A shot and a swig of beer in one take. When in reality her shot was spat directly back into the bottle. Leaving her with a burning aftertaste, but no ingestion of the liquid.

"WHOOO!" Caroline screamed, "There's my party girl."  
Damon looked shocked. She remembered suddenly that he'd never really seen that side of her, and she smiled at him smugly. If he wanted to leave her for Katherine that was his decision not hers…

She felt sick just thinking about how she had noticed him out with her these past few weeks. Buying baby clothes, going shopping for cradles, and him picking up diapers and formula. It was enough to make her want to vomit…well even more than she was. What killed her even more was the fact that he should be doing that for them.

Then again she really couldn't blame him. She hadn't told him, or anyone the truth.

So she stomped away turning back towards the dance floor, and losing herself to the music once again.

* * *

Damon stood in disbelief behind the bar looking longingly at the creature before him. Her long brown hair cascading down her back. Her tight black halter displaying more than he could stand, and her long legs being shown off under the tiny piece of cloth she called a skirt. His erection had practically sprung the minute he'd seen her chocolate brown eyes and silky smooth skin.

God he missed her.

His heart ached when he thought about never being able to have her again. This month apart had been agony for them both. After her message he'd fallen into a deep depression. Stefan had come back into town just long enough to be filled in on the current situation.

Once he realized what had happened with Katherine and Elena he'd left to go back to Whitmore. He told Damon he really thought he could win Elena over, but she didn't want him, and he was tired of chasing after something he would never have. Damon had explained he understood, and caved about everything involving their little tryst before he left. It was enough for Stefan, and he'd left to seek comfort elsewhere. Even better, he was apparently on a mission to find his father, and Damon had welcomed the solitude. However, it only seemed to last a few days, and then Katherine was banging on his door again demanding his support. She explained that she had broken the news of her condition to Elena. Which in turn made him realize why Elena had been so quick to dismiss his love for her.

Endless nights of torment continued as the month passed by. He felt like an outsider watching Elena's life play out before him. He watched as Alaric moved into the Gilbert house taking care of her and Jeremy. Jeremy deciding to go off to art school in the fall of next year, and Elena following her friends around like her life depended on it. He'd barely had time to grab her for a moment alone. He'd attempted to call her a few times but to no avail. He'd been drunk anyways…perhaps it was better for her to not see him like this.

At any rate, Katherine had made him her go to boy for everything baby oriented, and manipulated him in to doing her bidding. He'd explained very early after his breakup with Elena that if this baby were the reason for his heartache he would make sure it would be worth it. He demanded a paternity test to know if the baby was in fact his. Of course she responded to that notion as frivolous, and taxing, but that she would take the dangerous procedure to ensure the paternity as long as he responded to her every need. Damon had agreed to an extent. He would be there for the baby, not for her. She didn't like it but that was his bargain and it had worked well. She usually left him alone most days, but tonight for example she could be seen on the prowl from the corner booth. She was sipping a virgin daiquiri and scowling with disapproval of his encounter with her twin sister.

In all honesty it truly didn't matter to him anymore. All that mattered was Elena, and that he wanted her back. The minute Elena gave into him would be the minute he let everything else go. He was tempted right now to grab her and haul her into the back office and show her how badly she'd made him long for her.

That was until he saw another horrific scene play out in front of him. Katherine had suddenly gotten up from her perch and made her way to the microphone stand.

"Jesus…who gave that woman a mic?" he asked.

Soon the music cut off and she had everyone's attention, "Evening fellow party goers. Tonight is a special night, because along with a celebration to the end of the summer I've prepared a musical snack for you all tonight. Some impromptu karaoke!" she said with a fist pump into the air. Everyone yelled out a "YEAH!" in the crowd. It amazed Damon how no one found it odd that a pregnant woman would be leading the karaoke stand, but what the hell she could get away with murder and he knew it.

"First up is my lovely twin sister, miss Elena Gilbert!" she shouted.

Damon watched, as Elena stood frozen in her spot on the dance floor. Her features constricting into a look of pure hatred towards her sister as Katherine beamed in her direction. The look she gave Elena could mostly be deciphered as, "Beat that bitch."

As luck would have it, Damon watched as Elena marched up towards the stand, and took the microphone from Katherine.

* * *

Elena's veins filled with loathing and rage as her sister stood in front of her, waiting for her to bomb this impromptu audition.

With Elena's back still to the audience, Katherine mumbled into her ear, "Take that you little home wrecker." And sauntered off back to her booth.

Elena turned towards the stage and looked towards the DJ. Suddenly she knew what song she needed to sing, and she mouthed "Girlfriend by Ashlee Simpson" towards her left. Before she knew it the tune was blaring behind her and she was singing out the lyrics with all her heart.

"Well I'm sorry…that he called me, and that I answered the telephone. Don't be worried I'm not with him, and when I go out tonight I'm going home alone." She sang out looking into her twin sister's eyes. Her strong sultry voice hitting every note as the crowd cheered her on.

Dancing off the stage she sauntered down the crowd of people dismissing Katherine entirely. Blue eyes had locked onto hers, and she couldn't help but sing the rest of the bridge to him, "Please stop telling all your friends I'm getting sick of them, always staring at me like I took him from ya."

Before she knew it, Damon had rounded the bar and stood in front of it. He leaned against the counter in amazement, and she decided then and there she was done.

Done with the charade of acting like she was ok.

Telling everyone lies about her true condition.

Admitting once and for all that she didn't just want Damon, but that she needed him in every sense of the word.

Finishing the song she turned towards Katherine to shout out the final lyric, "I didn't steal YOUR boyfriend." Before turning and jumping into Damon's arms, her legs wrapping around his waist as she laid a firm kiss against his awaiting lips.

The minute she kissed him the crowd behind her cheered, and she lifted up her head long enough to see Katherine exit the Grill. Looking back down at Damon her heart leapt in her chest with happiness. She loved this man, and she never wanted to let him go again. Dropping her legs to the floor she handed off her microphone to an innocent bystander and dragged Damon to the back of the grill.

"Elena." He said, attempting to get her attention, but she didn't care. She needed him right now, and she wasn't going to wait another minute.

Reaching the backdoor she threw it open and led them out into the middle of the dark alley behind the Grill. Steam rose in the distance and a soft light illuminated the streets on either side, enveloping them in intimate darkness.

"Shut up." She said as she slammed him up against the brick wall and crushed her lips to his once more.

Moaning he melted into her kiss, his hands sliding under her smooth tanned legs urging them to wrap around his hardened waist. Once she understood, she hooked her legs around him and he turned them so her back was pressed against the wall. His heated mouth was on hers again open and willing, his tongue searching for hers, begging her to let him in. Instinctively she opened her mouth and slid her tongue against his, both of their moans echoing their appreciation down the alleyway. Elena's heated core throbbed even more intensely as she felt his hardness on her hip and his lips drift down towards her cleavage. Not able to stand the clothing barrier between them Elena found the lapel of his shirt and tugged, effectively ripping his button down shirt. Her hands intently roaming over his pale smooth chiseled form beneath her as her breath came out in small puffs feeling his hand drift up behind her neck and pull the string to the top of her halter. Without warning her shirt fell down, causing her breasts to spring free before him.

"God, Elena. You're so beautiful." He said slipping his mouth around one of her sensitive peaks. All Elena could do was moan. Moan from pain, from pleasure, from everything he was giving her. Just when she thought she couldn't handle anymore pleasure he stepped back from her body, effectively standing her up against the wall, as his hands roamed underneath her thin skirt.

"Lets see…these need to go." He whispered smugly as he pulled her panties down her legs, and knelt on the ground to untangle them from her stiletto heels.

"Damon," she begged, needing him. She wanted him so badly.

"All in good time…" he said, lifting her skirt and letting out an awe filled sigh at her soaked womanhood. Beads of moisture lined her nether lips, begging him to taste them, and so he did with enthusiasm. His tongue gently flicking out and tasting a small sweet sample before diving in full force. Elena's head fell back against the bricks behind her. Her hips gyrating to the rhythm his tongue was setting below, as her hand grasped the top of his head, urging him to keep going. Her cries of ecstasy muffled by the loud music in the building next to them.

Damon's tongue continued pleasing Elena, sliding in and out of her inner walls, causing them to contract and pull until she had reached her limit. Her legs shook below her from pleasure. She was sure she would fall from bliss, until Damon lifted one leg, then another on his shoulders, effectively stabilizing her and hitting her g-spot all at once. Without warning Elena's body convulsed with a shattering orgasm. Her cries of pleasure echoing down the alley.

"Oh God Damon. I love you." She said, her throaty wanton voice needing him to know how much he meant to her. How much he'd always meant to her.

Stilling his movements almost immediately he released her from his mouth, and gazed up into her eyes.

"What did you say?" he said breathlessly from below her, his heart hammering in his ears. He needed to hear her say it again. He needed to know this was real. That they were real.

"I love you, Damon." She said, her voice trembling, and her eyes filling with unshed tears.

Lifting himself up Damon stood before her, and held her face in his hands.

"Elena, my Elena." He said in wonder staring into her eyes, "I've waited so long to hear you say that. For you to come back to me." He breathed out his lips drifting back to hers with an urgency that consumed them both. Wanting to be closer to him still, Elena dropped her hands around his waist, pulling him closer towards her. Quickly and skillfully she undid the buckle of his belt and undid the button on his jeans. Working the zipper down she freed his massive erection into her hand. Pulling on the velvet skin she stroked him long and hard, happy to hear his guttural moans under her lips.

"Mmmm…..Leena. I need you on me now." He said into her mouth, his eyes pouring life into hers. She didn't need any more stimulus. Elena wrapped her legs once again around him, and slid his member into her dripping core with ease. Her desire still peaked with need from his earlier ministrations. Feeling him fill her they both breathed out together in agreement that this was perfection.

Lifting Elena's hands above them Damon drove in and out of her forcefully, needing her tight wet walls. With every thrust they went higher than before, never wanting to stop.

"Come with me Damon." Elena breathed, clutching his ass with her free hand, as he drove deeper into her still, hitting her perfect spot with each push.

"My pleaaaasure…." He puffed, as she felt him fill her one last time, and spill himself inside of her.

"Damon!" she cried, as her walls tightened and he sheathed himself within her one final time. Gasping for air they held on to one another. Never wanting to let the other go.

Moments of breathing, and gazing into one another's eyes passed, as Elena made the realization that she needed to get up and leave.

Wincing she removed herself from Damon's length, regretting the sensation of leaving him. Bending down she retrieved her stray panties from the ground nearby, and stood up putting them on. Damon followed suit, standing to pull his pants on over his dissolving member.

"Elena…" he said, begging her to look at him.

"Don't," she said, tying her halter up at the base of her neck.

"Don't what?" he said startled by the change in her demeanor.

"Don't ruin it."

"I wasn't trying to."

"I know." She said walking towards him; she placed her hand on his face gently. Her lipstick streaked across his jawline, and she felt a sense of pride by it.

"Tell me you meant what you said." He stated, looking into her eyes. He hated how venerable she made him, as if he could break in two one by a single word she said.

"I did, I do." She told him with certainty, "but it doesn't mean we can just pick up where we left off. I don't even know where that is." She admitted. Honestly she didn't know how they would pick up the pieces, especially since she still hadn't told him about the baby.

"Yes it does Elena. We can because we love each other. You're all I ever wanted. Just be with me." He said leaning down and giving her a soft tender kiss that she felt all the way to her soul. Lifting his head Elena stated,

"I'm yours." as he bent down once more to bask in the moment of bliss they had together.

*******AUTHORS NOTE***********

**Ok so normally I give you all a cliffhanger but in light of the current devastating news that Nina is leaving the Vampire Diaries... I'm so upset that I can't even...Anyways I thought we all deserved a little happiness in spite of the darkness. Even if it's fanfiction. LOL.**

**As usual there are still some obstacles in our favorite lovers' path. Katherine will not be happy to know these two just did the nasty, but you are about to find out her master plan at the Sheriff Forbe's party in the next chapter. You will also see the reveal of Elena's true condition to Damon, and his reaction.**

**Sadly I think this story is coming to a conclusion, but I guarantee an happy ending so hang in there. Thank you all for sticking with me through this long amazing story. I'm so very grateful that its gone as well as it has and I owe it all to you. Love you guys!**

**Review please! ~iHeart1202**


	29. Innocence

"This innocence is brilliant. I hope that it will stay. This moment is perfect, please don't go away. I need you now, and I'll hold on to it. Don't you let it pass you by. Its the state of bliss you think you're dreaming. Its the happiness inside that you're feeling. Its so beautiful it makes you wanna cry." ~Innocence, Avril Lavigne

Ch. 29

"Oh, my Damon…" Elena breathed out as Damon rammed in and out of her once more, her body against the counter and mirror of Damon's luxurious bathroom. His velvet hard length embedded inside her tight wet folds begging for release to send her into oblivion.

They'd been at it like this for hours. After Elena had claimed Damon as hers he'd whisked her back to his place and made love to her on practically every surface of the Boarding house. They'd made love on the stairs, in the hallway, on his bed, and in the bathtub, which of course had led to the counter.

Elena's breathing had sped up as her inner walls once again squeezed deliciously together causing Damon to moan and softly curse against her.

"Elena…" he breathed out as he thrust a final time coming inside of her and causing her to follow him to the edge once more. Elena's limbs grew slack and untangled from around his waist as he breathed in her scent from the top of her head once more and pulled back to look at her. Her soft brown eyes mirroring the bliss of his own as his heart and hers constricted with the love and need they still had for each other.

"God Elena…I can't get enough of you." He said, reaching up to frame her face in the palm of his hand.

"I don't think I ever will." he promised as he leaned in for a final kiss.

Sated and physically spent Damon somehow mustered enough strength to take Elena in his arms and lay her down on the bed. On their bed.

He loved the sound of that. That somehow he could make this bed their own. He lay down next to her in the darkness, curling her into him and promising himself that he would never let her go.

The next morning Elena awoke with the feeling of euphoria. Her skin tingled and tinged with soreness from the previous night. Yet somehow she welcomed it as she opened her eyes to find two blue ones staring at hers.

"Good morning sunshine." He purred, as his hand slowly caressed her outer thigh.

"Damon," she breathed out, wanting to make sure this was real.

"Yes?"

"I…we need to talk." She said. Her heart had been so conflicted after their night of passion. She knew he desired her…but his love had been so futile the past month, and now she was carrying his child. The child he didn't even know existed. What if she told him, and he decided to never see her again? Or worse that he wanted her to get rid of it? She couldn't bare the thought of it.

"Ok, I'm sure it has something to do with you acting weird so just tell me."

"Well…for a month now…" she started, her heart hammering in her ears.

Wait, that wasn't her heart. Someone was literally downstairs hammering the front door. Or at least it seemed like it.

"Elena Gilbert if you're in there you have a lot of explaining to do!" shouted a very peeved Bonnie.

"OH no! Caroline. The Party! I was supposed to be there three hours ago. They're going to kill me!" Elena screamed.

"What? I'm sure blondie can wait a few moments. She'll figure out how to untangle her panties soon. What's the rush?" Damon said, sensing their morning of bliss was over.

"No Damon I was supposed to meet her….Oh my God is that the time? Elena said looking at the clock. It somehow read 12:30 p.m. They'd slept in the whole morning…although she couldn't blame Damon. It really hadn't been his fault…most of the time.

Rushing she stood up grabbing the sheet from under her and wrapping it around her in to a makeshift toga. Which of course had left Damon laying there in the buff and looking more like a Greek god than a human being. Elena decided spending her time gazing into his eyes…amongst other things…was a very bad idea if she wanted to leave. She went around the room collecting her articles of clothing from the night before. Dreading the choice of a slip of a skirt and a halter. The whole mansion would notice her walk of shame a mile away.

"What's the matter love?" Damon asked huskily as he rose from the bed to meet her in the doorway.

"Damon…put some clothes on. Or move I have to go."

"Its you're loss, I make one heck of a naked breakfast." He said, his tongue flicking over his lips to remind her of how soft and luscious they were. She was tempted, but the growing guilt inside of her made her think about her decision.

"Damon, you know I want more than anything to loose myself in you today." She said, leaning forward and kissing him. "But I have to go, Caroline is waiting and so is her mom." She said bringing her hand up to play with a lock of hair behind his neck. He practically melted with her touch and said, "Ok, but just so you remember what you're missing." Then he kissed her, and it grew heated quickly as he backed her into the doorway and pressed her hips against the wood with such force she lost her breath.

Lifting his head to kiss her forehead Damon sighed. "Ugh…alright I know you have to go help out. Just know that if this party were for anyone other than Sheriff Forbes I wouldn't even care right now. However, seeing as she's one of the only good people in this town I'll let you go. Save me a dance tonight beautiful." He said as Elena pulled herself up and left him in the doorway looking thoroughly kissed and lonely. Heading down the stairs she grabbed her purse ready to face the wrath of Bonnie Bennett.

Taking a deep breath she opened the door, and sensed immediate hostility.

"Oh. My. God. You are unbelievable!" Bonnie shouted, her mouth open in shock and amusement.

"Sorry Bon…I got a little carried away and I lost track of the time…"

"Well I'm sorry too. Sorry you ditched me this morning while queen Caroline barked orders as often as she drew breath. Look I'm sorry to interrupt your libido but we had plans…and you are coming with me to set up this party with or without lover boy's consent."

"Ok Bonnie, I know this wasn't planned. Believe it or not, I am really sorry."

"Its fine. Its just been a really hectic morning Leena. Sorry to take it out on you." Bonnie apologized brining Elena in for a hug.

"I forgive you," she said teasing Bonnie's hair and smiling.

"Lets just go now before Caroline starts enlisting guests as reinforcements."

"Deal." She said with a smirk as Elena stepped outside in the same clothes she had worn the night before.

"You know what?" Bonnie said slyly as they sank into her car. "Maybe we should make a pit stop by your house. If Jeremy sees you like that he's going to come unglued and not in the good way." Bonnie declared.

"You're probably right." Elena said, looking down at her lap. Her fingernails had become quite interesting as Bonnie pulled the car away from the Boarding house. As they drove towards her house the hole in her chest grew deeper thinking about the secret she was holding on to. She'd wanted to tell Damon about the baby, but the thought of admitting it aloud to him was terrifying. She didn't want to risk him looking at her as if she had betrayed him, or worse trapped him just like Katherine had. She knew he had dreams, and she wanted them to continue. She just didn't know if having this baby was one he had personally envisioned.

Moments later Bonnie finally broke the silence in the car.

"So was he good? I mean he looks like he would be…. was he?"  
"Bonnie?!" Elena exclaimed. Today wasn't supposed to be about her. It was Sheriff Forbes' birthday for heavens sakes.

"I mean I know its not the first time, but given that you've spent the last month pining after him I'd say you should be smiling ear to ear right about now."  
"I know Bonnie," she said with a sigh, "and I am happy I just…I have something on my mind. Something I haven't been able to tell anyone."

"Elena you know you can always come to me. Just as long as it's not about the amount of unseen tattoos on Damon's body. That I don't want to know." She said rolling her eyes as they pulled in front of the Gilbert house and parked.

"No…" she said pausing to make sure Bonnie was facing her, "I'm pregnant."

Bonnie clutched the steering wheel bewildered expression until she finally asked her in disbelief, "You're what?!"

**Authors Note:**

**Well now Bonnie knows and things are about to get very interesting in the next chapter at the party. Lets just say some secrets are bound to come out, and I don't just mean Elena's! Hope you are all enjoying your summer. Stay tuned for more updates! Thanks again for being so patient with me.**

**read/review :D**


	30. Chapter 30-Sad

"_Oh but I'm scared to death that there may not be another one like this. I confess that I'm only holding on by a thin thin thread. I'm kicking the curb cause you never heard the words that you needed so bad. I'm kicking the dirt cause I never gave you, the things that you needed to have. I'm so sad…"_

_~Sad, Maroon Five_

Ch. 30

"_I'm pregnant…"_

"_You're what?!"_

Once the screaming from Bonnie had stopped, Elena went inside she needed to change and she didn't have much more time before Caroline killed her herself. It the fact that she was with or without child would not matter. You didn't stand up Caroline Forbes no matter what the occasion. As she went into her closet to get changed, Bonnie was finally able to absorb the information.

Elena was pregnant.

Seeing that Elena had only been with one specific boy recently it wasn't hard for Bonnie to connect the dots. Damon was the father, but he was also supposedly fathering another child of the demon variety inside Katherine Pierce. Who just happened to be Elena's long lost twin sister?

Thanks to an adoption mix up she hadn't known until recently, and neither had Damon. Although their startling similarities should have been his first clue, but who could blame him? Elena was simply trying to get dressed so they could finish setting up for Sheriff Forbes big fortieth bash at The Lockwood Mansion tonight. Pulling on a t-shirt from her closet she continued hearing Bonnie putting the pieces together in mumbled voices.

"Elena is pregnant…it has to be Damon's…. but he's going to have a baby with Katherine, and…"

Bonnie's train of thought paused as Elena zeroed in on a blue jeans at the top of her closet.

"So what did Damon say when you told him he was going to be a daddy two times?" Bonnie finally questioned, pausing Elena from her white washed eighties jeans. Instead she decided to try on the dark blue leggings hanging on the hanger below. She decided it was much more tasteful for mansion wear.

Finally pulling on the pants Elena chose to answer Bonnie, and mumbled from her closet,

"Well that's the thing…I sort of haven't told him yet."

"Excuse me?" Bonnie replied, stepping into the closet with eyes the size of golf balls.

"I haven't broken the news to him yet."

"And why not?" Bonnie asked, clearly in disbelief that this conversation was happening let alone continuing to be an issue.

"Because we weren't even anything twenty four hours ago. On top of the fact that I don't want him to have to have a reason to be with me, and to be honest I'm terrified ok? Are you satisfied?"

She asked reaching for her gown bag and throwing in her shoes. This masquerade party was going to be a hoot; she just couldn't believe how much had gone into it. The dress she would be wearing for tonight was killer, a black ensemble with golden sequins. She was so happy to be able to wear it tonight, because in eight months she wouldn't be able to squeeze into anything much less formal wear. Oh the joys of pregnancy…she thought as Bonnie replied,

"No I'm not." Taking the bag from her hands and putting on the bed. "He has a right to know."

"I know he does, and believe me I tried telling him this morning, but then we were interrupted." She emphasized, silencing Bonnie once and for all.

"Alright, but do you want to keep this baby Elena?" Bonnie asked her. It was a question she'd never even thought of. How could she "terminate" her pregnancy? This baby was a part of her now, and whether she wanted to admit it or not it was a result of her love for Damon. She couldn't give this up. She wouldn't.

"Yes. I love Damon, and I already love this little peanut too."

"Then you're going to tell him tonight right?" Bonnie said timidly.

Elena sighed nodding, "Yes Bonnie, I'm going to tell him. I just need it to be the right moment."

"Well I'll help you find one." Bonnie said, as they exited her room and left the Gilbert house with Elena's garment bag in hand.

As Bonnie turned on the car to leave Elena was dreading the wrath of Caroline, but for once in an entire month she was relieved. Someone knew her secret, and she was happy to know she didn't have to do this alone.

_Thank God for Bonnie Bennett _she thought as they drove away nearing the mansion and the inevitable that she knew awaited her there.

* * *

6 hours later…

Damon Salvatore was on cloud nine. Literally, if there were such a place, he imagined he'd be somewhere in the middle. He'd be sipping Pina Colada's and getting caught in the rain…or whatever the kids were singing about these days. He couldn't get Elena out of his mind. He was eternally grateful for whatever had gotten into her last night.

Damon smiled as he remembered the previous nights events. Her legs wrapping around his waist as he leaned against the bar. Their lips had instantly met, as if he'd been expecting them all evening. From there it only got better. Their lovemaking in the alley…and in the boarding house on every surface he could find. Damn, just thinking about her body now was getting him going. He tried to remind himself to calm down. He was at a public event after all, and in a tux no less. His black bowtie the constant reminder of his pulse constantly racing and telling him to be on his best behavior…at least in front of other guests.

No one had said sweetheart rendezvous in the coat closet were against the law…

He smiled just thinking about taking Elena there to have his way with her. He was so glad she was finally his. All his. Elena. His Elena.

God, he honestly didn't know if one more day could have gone by without her. Everyday pretending to be with Katherine had been agony. Speaking of whom, he had noticed her coming into the party tonight accompanied by boy wonder Matt Donovan. _How about that_, he thought, it appeared she could manipulate any one into doing what she wanted. Even when she was looking rather…should he say plump? Her belly had definitely increased in size, and for some unknown reason she had chosen to wear and shiny golden dress to adorn herself with for tonight's festivities. Damon chuckled; her dress definitely went with the theme. Shades of gold and lavender filled the room illuminated by twinkly lights. The ladies had outdone themselves getting the Lockwood Mansion prepared. The whole house practically glittered with excitement. Guests had been arriving all evening, and Liz had been the first, escorted inside with Caroline by her side. Apparently she hadn't been aware of the evening's plans being for her. Moments after entering the mansion, the crowd had erupted in an enormous welcome as she squealed with delight. It seemed happiness was now permanently etched on her face as Damon smiled looking over and seeing mother and daughter laughing together and playfully sipping the champagne. The night did look to be a success, but Damon couldn't care less. The only person he was interested in seeing was coming through the doors right now. He turned just in time to see Elena enter. Her long ball gown flowed to the ground and sent sparkles across the room. She was breathtaking and he wondered for a split second if one could die from beauty. Walking towards her he smiled as her eyes instantly landed on his. He appreciated her smoldering look from afar as she took in his appearance in a black tux. Reaching her he clasped her hand in his and lifted it to his mouth.

"Ms. Gilbert," he said while looking up into her brown orbs.

"Mr. Salvatore." she replied, a smirk lifting her upper lip.

"Can I have the pleasure of your first dance?"

"Surely." She stated, giving him her arm as he led her onto the nearby dance floor. The bandstand nearby played a melody as his hand found the small of her waist. He pulled her close, molding her body to his, as her eyes remained transfixed on his. His heartbeat drummed in his throat as he felt her body tremble underneath his own. Leaning in he inhaled her scent, one that could only be Elena, flowers and musk, and summer. Licking his dry lips he noted her stare flick from his eyes to his mouth. Her pulse seemed to quicken, and his longing and desire grew stronger for her.

"Damon," she breathed out making his will stagger under his lust for her.

"Elena."

"There's something I need to tell you…"

Damon's foggy thoughts cleared as he remembered their interrupted conversation earlier in the day.

"Yes, you were about to tell me why you've been acting so weird. I just chalked it up to female times…" he said with a sneer.

She laughed, "No Damon. I'm serious."

"Go ahead then." He stated, leaning in just as a flash of gold came up beside him.

Katherine.

"Excuse me, I believe this dance is mine." She said cattily, eyeing Elena with a look a snake should have before it eats its prey.

"I don't believe he's available." Elena spat back. Damon was surprised by her fearlessness. It wasn't a side he was used to seeing on his cautious Elena.

"Well when you have this reason," she said indicating her pregnant belly, "then we can talk about requests. This automatically means he's mine. So you can run along now."

"Didn't I see you come in with Donovan?" Damon questioned, sinking his hands deeper into Elena's waistline.

"A last minute stand in. Seems my date failed to find transportation…" she said, implying that Damon was supposed to pick her up.

"I had other plans for my ride over, and they didn't include you."

"Funny, I seem to recall you making me a promise about being there when I needed you. You remember Damon, when we were together a few days ago. I guess you don't remember seeing as we were pretty distracted with each other at the time."

"Excuse me? We haven't… ugh, Elena don't listen to her, she's lying." he stated, his temper rising. Where did this bitch get off making this shit up?

"Oh come on you remember Damon. It's kind of hard to forget…how else would I have this hickey?" she asked, turning to seductively display her right breast under the lights.

"I don't know from one of your other admirers I'm sure…" he spat pulling Elena to his body tighter. He wasn't about to let her go. Although instead of acceptance he felt restraint as Elena tried to distance her body from his.

"Its fine Damon." Elena said, shifting under his hands. He knew this conversation was getting uncomfortable for her. _He _could barely stand it. Before he knew it she was pulling away from him. Her face was constricted in pain.

"I have to go." She said, tears welling up in her eyes. She tore away from his embrace heading towards the nearest hallway.

Shit she'd made her cry. This bitch made her cry, and it wasn't even true!

"Elena!" he yelled out, as Katherine restrained him.

"What is your problem?" he asked Katherine, practically yelling in her face.

"I told you, if you don't remove her from her life…"

"You're idle threats don't scare me waddles." He said, cutting her to the quick just as he recognized Mason Lockwood coming towards them.

"Hey here come's the bartender, how about you do us both a favor and go drown your sorrows? Oh wait, you can't.," he said with a smirk as Katherine shot him a look of pure evil.

"You know what maybe I will. Seems you couldn't care less anyway if this baby lives or dies."

"You know what? You're right about one thing. I don't care about _you_, and if I had it my way you wouldn't be having this baby at all."

"Excuse me? What did you say?" she asked in disbelief, her arm reaching out to grab his arm and yank him towards her.

The noise around the room seemed to diminish as Damon said,

"If you had gotten rid of it when you'd had the chance you could have saved all of us the heartache. I never wanted this. I still don't want it. I don't think you understand the concept. I never want to be a father, especially not to your kid. I can't think of anything else more miserable on earth." And with that he turned to walk away, relieved to finally voice the words he'd wanted to say since he'd first heard the news escape her lips.

Then a collective gasp swept the room and for an instant the room around him grew quiet. As if everyone stood watching the scene play out before them:

Katherine clasped her hand over her mouth and left quietly crying retreating into the nearest room. Damon seethed with anger at the girl he'd tarnished in front of the town, and behind him, stood Elena. A broken girl in shock, as a single tear escaped her eyes and rolled down her cheek.

Silence was broken as Caroline came forward. Damon stepped back as she told him to leave. Without hesitation he turned, looking at the horrified faces of the crowd and left out the front door. Not realizing the irrevocable damage he had just created.

* * *

"Elena," Bonnie whispered as her best friend continued to sob into her lap. Elena and her had found the gardens on the estate and chosen a secluded spot to talk. "Tell me what happened."

Elena cried harder as she fought to let out the words that swam inside her mind. Damon had held her so tight tonight it had frightened her. She'd felt pain, and panicked and headed for the nearest restroom only to discover it as a mere spasm. She'd left the restroom right away in relief, ready to go back out on the dance floor and fight for her man. That was until she heard his heartless remarks towards Katherine. She couldn't explain what had happened, or why he'd lost his temper in front of the whole town. The only words she had understood were the ones that had cut her to her very soul,

"_I never want to be a father. I can't think of anything else more miserable on earth."_

She cried harder remembering, as Bonnie did her best to console her.

"He said…" sobs racked her throat, she fought for control to speak, "he never wants…to be a father."

"Shhh…" Bonnie said, smoothing back her curls. She'd worn her hair in a side style; she'd made sure to curl it so that she'd be beautiful. She'd even made sure to dress her best tonight just so she could take his breath away. Now he'd stolen hers, and she wasn't sure if she'd ever get it back.

"He doesn't know Elena. If he knew _you_ were pregnant he'd feel differently. You'll see. He loves you." She said calmly.

Elena's heart constricted with pain as she attempted to reassure herself that her best friend was right. But how could she be? How could Damon ever forgive her for not telling him the truth?

"No, if he doesn't want this baby then I should just do what he told her to do."

"Elena, you're talking crazy. You love this baby. You just told me today you love your little peanut. Just talk to Damon before he finds out from someone else."

"No, I have to go. I can't do this. Not anymore." She said standing and exiting the party with a tear-streaked face. Unaware of the astonished man hidden in the shadows realizing his life had been changed forever.

**AUTHORS NOTE*****************

**Oh wow…Damon better get his act together real quick…hmm…More secrets revealed in the next chapter. ;)**

**Well the next two chapters will be the final ones for this story. I cannot begin to explain how happy I am that you've all been so supportive of this story and the journey it has taken. Thank you for reading and I hope to continue many more stories in the future.**

**Love you all! read/rev**


	31. In Your Pocket

_"Show me yours I'll show you mine." ~Maroon 5, In Your Pocket_

**_Ch. 31_**

"_He doesn't know Elena. If he knew you were pregnant he'd feel differently…."_

Damon's world had shifted as soon as he'd heard the words leave Bonnie Bennett's mouth. Then horror slashed through him as he heard his Elena say from her beautiful mouth,

"_No. If he doesn't want this baby then I should just do what he told her to do."_

The moment she'd said those words he'd wanted to scream from the bushes. _NO!_

He wanted to get on his knees and beg her forgiveness, because he knew deep down he loved this girl. He knew having her child wouldn't be a burden it would be a blessing. Possibly the biggest one he'd ever had in his entire life. Yet here he stood frozen on the stone of the pathway he'd taken to drown his sorrows. The bottle of liquor in his right hand was slipping and fell as soon as Elena's back disappeared behind the mansion.

"Hello?" came a startled Bonnie.

"Relax BonBon…its just me." Came Damon's slurred voice. His hair was tousled from running his hands through it, and he probably looked like the wrong side of a goat. At least Bonnie's reaction said as much.

"Where did you come from? How long have you been standing there?" she asked, standing up and realizing the seriousness of the situation.

"Long enough." He ground out looking at her with his eyes, hoping she would know what to do. "Where did she go? Where is she?" he asked quickly, wanting to run and stop her.

"I don't know, and even if I did she doesn't need to see you like this."

"I don't care what I look like!" he screamed. Guests passing by sneered at him. He was about to tell them where they could go when Bonnie grabbed his arms.

"Listen Damon, right now she needs sober you. Not 'I just got drunk and crawled into a hold to die in' you. So just take a deep breath."

"But she said she wanted an abortion…" Damon whispered urgently trying to explain why he was freaking out.

"I know Elena, she won't go through with it. Even if she would, I'll tell Jeremy and he'll go take care of it. She's upset. Just give it time. Here lets take you inside and get you some coffee. Some strong coffee."

Damon, fairly inebriated chose to listen to Bonnie in this crucial situation. Not because she was right, but simply because the world was spinning and he needed a way to stop it. He luckily had Bonnie to hold him up or he wouldn't have made it two steps without falling.

Leading Damon towards the pathway back to the mansion, Bonnie took out her phone from her clutch and called Jeremy. Dialing him was a miracle seeing as she had to slightly hold up a drunken man on her shoulder and find his name.

Jeremy picked up on the first ring, "Hey beautiful what's up?" he answered. She knew he was inside somewhere, but she didn't know where and there wasn't time.

"Elena is really upset, and you need to go after her. She just left." Bonnie insisted.

"Why? What happened?" Jeremy asked panic rising in his voice.

Damon hearing the whole conversation chose to say brashly, "I knocked her up! Yup that's me, that is all I'm good for." He stated taking Bonnie's phone and speaking into it like a walkie talkie, "but I'll tell you something right now, she better keep that baby or I will be very put out."  
"Keep it? What? Why wouldn't she?"

"Stop asking stupid questions Little Gilbert, just go find your sister and tell her to meet me at your house. I'll be there soon."

"Sure Damon, I'll get right on that," Jeremy said as he hung up the phone. Damon hurled the piece of technology into the air for Bonnie to catch it. Somehow she didn't find it as amusing as he did when it fell into the water fountain.

"Great. Sly job Mr. Salvatore. Now I need some rice. Care to walk a little faster so we can fix my damaged phone?"

"Sure thing…" Damon slurred, as Bonnie rolled her eyes and followed closely behind him, apologizing to guests as he bumped into them.

Somehow Damon and Bonnie arrived in the back kitchen shortly. Damon took a seat at a stool on the island while Bonnie went and filled a mug with black coffee. Damon had told himself once he downed this cup he was going after Elena, and even little "Ms. IMONAMISSION" here wasn't going to stop him.

Damon drank in the dark liquid as Bonnie searched the cupboards for some rice. Locating some she pulled a bowl from the drainer and filled it up. Slipping her phone into the bowl she glared at Damon.

"You know this is all your fault." She added as he groaned into his mug for the umpteenth time.

"I know…I was just hoping I wasn't this much of a jackass."

"No, you are." She added, smirking at him as he slid his empty mug towards her.

Just then he heard someone enter into the kitchen from the swinging door. Casually thinking it was catering he didn't even look up until he heard Caroline's shrill voice.

"You! How the hell did you get back inside? I already told the catering service to take out the trash."

"Ouch." Damon said, glaring at her. "Look Blondie, not that it's any of your business, but I am in fact a semi-respectable civilian in Mystic Falls."

"Hold the semi" Caroline said, revolted by his demeanor. Noticing Bonnie and him together though did make her stop and reevaluate the situation. "Wait. Why are you with Damon? Where's Elena? What did you do?" she asked Damon.

Bonnie answered before he could give another snippy response.

"Well lover boy here was lost on the path and heard a bit of news that Elena was supposed to tell him tonight, but she got interrupted."  
"Who interrupted her?" Caroline asked intrigued. Bonnie had texted her about the whole thing. Of course she had been hurt that Elena hadn't told her secret herself, but Caroline knew something was up. The little stunt she had pulled at the bar with the beer may have fooled everyone else but not her. She could spot a spitter a mile away. So she knew Elena was acting weird, and the second she knew she was pregnant it all made sense.

"Katherine and her big fat mouth…or other body parts." Damon said, filling his cup with some more black coffee.

"So she just left?"

"Well…. she's worried about you know who accepting things." Bonnie said, glancing towards Damon. Caroline nodded in understanding. Men could be clueless sometimes.

Setting down his cup, Damon turned around to defend himself, when an angry man's voice stopped him short. He knew that voice. He worked with that voice, and something told him he wanted to hear what this man was saying. Standing up he moved towards the hallway, as he felt the girls go with him. He knew they were trying to get his attention but he didn't care. Standing in the backroom that led to the veranda was none other than Mason Lockwood. The fact that he was angry was not a shocker to Damon. Mason always did seem to carry around a short fuse, but tonight was different. Tonight Mason was yelling at none other than Katherine Pierce herself.

Damon stilled outside of the room and crouched down.

"Hey Blondie, think you can maintain crowd control?" he whispered to Caroline. She nodded standing at attention at the beginning of the hallway and ushering others outside to enjoy the spectacular view. Bonnie crouched down next to Damon to hear for herself what all the commotion was about.

"You told me it was mine!" he growled.

"Shh…Mason keep your voice down. This is all a part of the plan."

"What plan? In case you haven't noticed I've been a pretty patient man and its not one of my strong suits. I can handle you pretending to be with Damon, but carrying his baby and you two riding off into the sunset was not what I had in mind. I thought you wanted to take his money and run!" he shouted, his voice rising.

Damon's eyebrows shot way up and he looked at Bonnie. This was it, the reason his life was so fucked up. It was all Katherine's fault.

"This baby is yours, and we do want his money. Why do you think I've been toying with him as much as I have? Come on honey, look I have the paternity right here on my phone if you don't believe me." She said thrusting her phone into Mason's face. Damon couldn't see it but from where he knelt Mason's features seemed to relax significantly. Damon's anger grew, and before he knew it he was standing at the doorway ready to confront his fate.

"Then its true," Damon stated, startling both Katherine and her lover Mason. He watched as Katherine sprang apart from Mason, attempting to look innocent.

"I'm not the father." He declared, sending an ice blue stare towards Katherine.

Katherine's color drained from her face. "What are you talking about? Of course you are!" she said, her voice shaking.

"You liar. I know you. I fell for you when I was a young college brat and you were just some pipsqueak in high school. I know you know how to manipulate and lie to my face."

"Damon! I would never!" she said, her face reflecting more fear that hurt.

"Give me your phone then." He said, reaching his hand out. Mason stood back aghast at the situation. Damon assumed he wanted this to all be over as much as he did.

"I don't have to give you anything." She snarled, her fingers gripping the phone with all her might.

"You don't have to." Bonnie said from behind Damon. Everyone looked at her as she entered the room. "I heard it all myself."

"Well what's that gonna prove?" Katherine spat.

"I don't know if it will prove anything but your phone will." Bonnie said, just as Damon snatched it out of her hand. Mason looked impressed, and stood by silently.

"You don't mind do you?" Damon asked him.

Mason looking wearily said, "No, but you should know your name is on it too."

"Well of course. So legally its ok then." Damon said, as Katherine attempted to grab for it back.

"Give it back!" she squealed.

"Hey baby beluga, you've done enough." Said Damon, as Bonnie stood next to him blocking Katherine from reaching the phone. Being hugely pregnant and trying to get a phone would be a pretty enormous feat for any woman in her state.

Hitting the home button Damon opened her recent screen app, and there it was. An email from Mystic Falls general announcing that Mr. Lockwood was in fact the father.

"But I don't get it Kat." Damon breathed out in disbelief. "Your son would be the mayor's nephew. Why would you need me?"

"Why indeed." Mason growled. His arms crossed across his chest. "Unless you really did have feelings for him."

"I don't have to tell either of you anything." She remarked, turning away and attempting to walk out the door.

"Wait a minute you can't be serious. You don't give a crap about me. If you did you wouldn't have been leading me on. You made me believe this baby was mine and now I find out its not and that's it? You think that I don't know what this is really all about?"

"If your so clever Damon then why don't you just tell me."

"Yeah Damon, enlighten us." Mason said stepping forward.

"You were keeping both of us on your plate, to bleed both of us dry. I can't believe you looked me in the eye and told me you had nothing to hide from me. You didn't even know until you got that email did you? Did you?"

Katherine practically squirmed under their stares. He knew he had her.

"We're done. This thing between us is done. You're dead to me Katherine. I never want to hear from you again." Damon said, his anger returning as he handed her phone back to her, "Have a nice life. Good luck Mason. You're going to need it." He said, turning on his heel and exiting the room with determination. He wasn't going to loose everything over a petty lie. Elena was worth more than that. She was his everything and he needed her to know that. He needed to find her now, before it was too late, and before she did something they would both regret.

**AUTHORS NOTE*******

**Ok I know this chapter is really all about Damon and Katherine, but honestly it kind of needed it. Plus the next chapter is the ending and all about Elena and Damon so I hope you enjoyed the laughs on this one. I'm still not sure if I'll make a sequel but there will be an epilogue for this story. Thanks again for reading!**

**Be good and review! Thanks! **


	32. Chapter 32--My Forever

"I know something is broken, and I'm trying to fix it. Trying to repair it any way I can..You and me are floating on a tidal wave. Together. You and me are drifting into outer space." ~X&amp;Y, Coldplay

_Ch. 32_

Elena's heartbeat matched the beat of her heels against the pavement on the road as she walked away from the Lockwood mansion. She knew her car would've been a better scenario for her to take, but at the moment all she knew was she had to get away. Besides, Bonnie knew she was upset, and something told her the first thing she would do was call Jeremy. She knew she'd send him after her and that's the first place he'd look, and right now she didn't want to risk anyone finding her. Her heart was breaking and she wanted to be alone.

Stopping at the edge of the driveway, Elena bent down and took off her shoes. She held them in her hands and kept walking letting her feet lead her away. It seemed that in all of her hardships in life this was the only way she found peace. Not to mention the perfect way to cry, which she was doing a lot of at the moment. Tears streamed silently down her face as she let her thoughts run rampant.

Damon didn't want to be a father.

How had she never known? Although this seemed like a rational question she was beginning to realize how much it haunted her that she didn't know him as well as she thought she did. Really they'd only known each other a couple of months, and now she was carrying his child. Could she really say she knew that they could have lasted forever?

Yes.

She had hoped they would. Against all odds she had hoped they would be together, grow old together. Fantasies of them married with children playing in the yard had been filling her thoughts for days. She'd never considered the possibility that he didn't want it too.

_Damon._

Even his name seemed like a warning sign. She smirked at the irony.

After hearing him yell at Katherine she knew now he didn't want what she wanted, and it had made her say unspeakable things. Untruthful things.

At Damon's words to her sister, every warning sign in her mind had told her to reject this life growing inside of her. But now she knew she could never have gone through with such a thing. She wanted to keep this baby. Whether or not Damon would want it…well that really didn't matter now.

What's done is done, as her mom would always say.

Gaining control of the waves of grief inside of her Elena's tears began to subside. She was now farther away from the mansion with every step she took. She suddenly couldn't see anything around her except darkness. She was surrounded by trees and stars up above she found her heart was finally able to calm itself. She thought of Damon, and of how he might look at the stars tonight. How he would think of the perfect way to capture the moment with his camera. He always had. Elena smiled remembering the way he had taken her picture the first time they'd been together. Taking a picture of her looking out across the Quarry. He'd made her feel so smitten that day, so full of love and warmth, and longing for him. She'd never dreamed they would end this way.

Walking around the bend in the road Elena suddenly realized where her feet had led her. She was at the Wickery Bridge. It seemed fitting that she had gone here. For years it had been the only place where she lost or left things behind. Memories of her parents losing their lives on this road still haunted her. She'd lived with the ache and loss of them in her chest for months. She'd wandered this world, pretending. Always pretending to be something she wasn't.

It wasn't until she'd met Damon that her life had begun to change. He'd come racing into her life, igniting it with passion and love. Altering her soul, and showing her what happiness was, and what life could be like when someone loved you.

Love.

She thought back to the night she'd told him she'd fallen in love with him. In the heat of the moment, she had said it. Had been buried inside of her, pulling her close to him with every thrust, crashing his need for her with her own along with her soul. Afterwards, when he'd asked her if she'd truly meant what she said she'd tried to brush him off. She didn't want him to ruin the moment they had shared in the alley. To pretend that their reunion could simply be a one time thing. Elena had convinced herself that she had done it to protect herself and her heart. She'd waited so long to be with him, to kiss him, and then she had, and he had given her everything.

She couldn't deny that she loved him anymore. Her heart was sure of it, but she had been unsure of his feelings. That was until had told her those unforgettable words,

"_We love each other. You're all I ever wanted. Just be with me."_

"_I'm yours."w_as all she had said.

It was truer now than ever before, perhaps that's why her heart ached so badly in her chest. She thought despite their love they might not survive this. Her and Stefan hadn't. The first sign of real commitment after her parents had died and he couldn't handle it. He'd left; perhaps Damon would do the same. Elena shook her head abandoning the thought almost instantly. She knew Damon was nothing like Stefan. He wouldn't just leave her they had gone through too much together. She sighed knowing he needed to know the truth.

Attempting to free her mind of these troubling thoughts Elena decided to walk to the edge of the bridge. Peering over the ledge into the water she noticed how calm and peaceful it seemed, and her heart found an overwhelming need to be at peace. Sitting on the edge of the bridge Elena continued looking out across the lake as she rested her hand on her abdomen and sighed. Accepting that she was alone in this was one of the hardest things she would ever have to do, but she was ready to face the consequences, even if that meant loosing Damon.

She was ready to head back and face her fears when a voice behind her startled her.

"Elena."

She practically jumped off the edge of the bridge hearing his voice so close to her.

"Damon." She breathed. "What are you doing here?" she questioned as her heart raced.

She realized he must have followed her. His face was flushed as though he'd been running after her. She softly smiled at the thought as she stood up, picking up her dress as she came towards him. Taking in his appearance she tried to catch her breath as she approached him. He always did have a way of taking her breath away. His black hair was mussed, she assumed from his running, and she could see droplets of sweat lining the top of his forehead. His eyes were fixed on hers and she found herself drowning in a sea of blue. She hardly remembered asking him why he'd followed her when he replied,

"I came to find you. You have to know something. I was wrong, Elena."

"Wrong?" she asked, perplexed.

"About Katherine. What I said to her, it wasn't what I meant."

Elena's heart sank further. "So you do want to be a father to her baby?"

"No, I don't. But that would probably have to do with the fact that it isn't even mine."

"What? What are you saying?" Elena asked, confusion filling her thoughts. Katherine was clearly pregnant. She'd drug Damon around for weeks getting baby things for her "little one." This wasn't like a soap opera where she could just take off the belly and go "just kidding" this was real life. Things like this didn't just happen.

"Katherine isn't pregnant with my son, Elena. She's pregnant with Mason Lockwood's. I just found out. You can ask Bonnie if you don't believe me."

"Oh," Elena said, letting the new information sink in. Mason was the father of Katherine's baby. It wasn't Damon's, and it never had been. A part of her was relieved, as she was sure he was, but for different reasons entirely.

"Well _you_ must be relieved about that." She said, her voice sounding harsher than she meant it to.

"Elena, why are you still upset with me? Can't you see? This fixes everything." He stated moving towards her and cupping her face with his hand. "Now we can have the life we wanted. The life we deserve together."  
"No Damon, we really can't." she stated stepping back out of his grasp.

"Why not?" he asked, confusion and hurt lining his face as he dropped his hand away.

"Because of what you said to Katherine. Because there's something you don't know, and honestly I don't know how you are going to react." She said looking out across the still water once more muttering, "I feel like I've already lost you."

"Oh baby no." he said, his face constricting as he saw a tear leave her face. Ignoring her wishes he breached her hostile barrier and let his arms wind around her. He held her back to his, and rested his head in the crook of her neck. They stood this way looking out across the water on the bridge, content with being together. Feeling Damon behind her, Elena sighed as he breathed her in, and she visibly relaxed, feeling his body next to hers. For a moment they lost themselves in each other, in being together until Damon's voice broke the silence.

"I know." He said simply as she sighed into his arms.

"You know what?" she asked, her voice breaking beneath him.

"I know about the baby. I heard you talking to Bonnie." He replied as his hand dipped down from underneath her breasts to cup her lower abdomen. A silent assurance from him that he knew what was now growing inside of her.

Elena turned around abruptly causing his hands to cling at her sides.

"What? No…." Elena said as panic seized her heart. She didn't want him to find out that way. She was supposed to tell him. She'd wanted to and tried to so many times.

"Its ok Elena." Damon said trying to console her.

"No its not, because you don't want this. You just told Katherine you never want to be a father." she stated, as panic set in.

"Elena that was to Katherine. Not to you."

Holding her face in his hands he forced Elena to look into his eyes as he emphasized every word coming out of his mouth.

"I want _you_, all of you. I love you Elena Gilbert. You're the good, and I need a little good in my life. Because without you there's an awful lot of darkness."

Elena sniffed, attempting to try and wrap her mind around his beautiful words. He couldn't be saying this. Not now, not here where she'd lost everything in her life. She didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve him.

"I don't know how to believe you." She said, doubt crashing down around her like a tidal wave. "How could there be a difference between me and Katherine? I mean God we're practically the same person."

"No." Damon said dropping his hands, anger suddenly lining his features. He couldn't believe she still doubted his love for her. Even though he had given her every reason to do so.

"You are nothing like her. You're thoughtful, kind, and caring, but most importantly you are the woman I love."

Elena sighed, her resolve crumbling after his declaration of love for her, but she still wasn't sure she could believe him. Looking at him once more she asked,

"So you're telling me that the fact I'm having your baby doesn't make you want to run for the hills?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Even more so, I don't want you to make a mistake that we will both regret. I want you to keep this pregnancy Elena." He said as thunder rolled above their heads.

"What?"

"I heard what you said to Bonnie, and it terrified me."

"Why?" Elena breathed, hoping once again that she had been wrong, that he really did want their little peanut.

Damon saw the hope in her eyes and added, "Because you know what I felt when I found out I was going to be the father of your child?"

"Disappointed?" Elena offered warily, her words cutting him to the core.

"No. I was elated. Happier than I have ever been in my entire life, because that's what love is Elena. It's finding that person who stops your whole world and makes you want to build a life together. That's what I want. I want a life with you Elena. I want a family."

"I want that too." She admitted as another resounding boom echoed through the clouds. Elena and Damon looked up together to see clouds covering the starry sky.

Before long it was raining down on them, and suddenly Elena didn't care about getting caught in the rain. Not with him.

Not wanting to be apart from him a moment longer she reached for him drawing him close to her chest as his lips found hers. The water landing on their skin only amplified the sensation of their lips intertwining. Her hands winding themselves into his raven black hair as her arms came to rest above his shoulders. His hands keeping her anchored to his body and she found she never wanted to leave his embrace or this moment. For even then, lost in the rain, she knew that she Elena Gilbert had finally found her happy ending. She had found her forever, and his name was Damon Salvatore.

*****THE END*******

**Please stay tuned for an epilogue. :)**

**Thank you my fabulous readers for sticking with me through this long story. I truly appreciate all of your support. This was my very first fan fiction and I'm so very glad to say its complete! Couldn't have done it without you guys! Thank you so much!**

**~iHeart1202**


	33. Epilogue

_**Dear readers, if you like happy endings, or if you simply wanted a good ending for Damon and Elena keep reading. Just know that it is not going to be here in this first volume of the "Desire" series I'm writing. There will be a sequel to Forbidden Desires (its in the works at the moment due to great supportive readers). Unfortunately that means that what you are about to read is not for the faint of heart. If you simply wanted a great DELENA happy ending then read no further. If you want to take the journey with me to see what happens to both of them please keep reading. Thank you for your continued support! ~iHeart1202**_

_"The arms of the ocean…delivered me. Never let me go. Yeah its over, and I'm going under, but I'm not giving up, I'm just giving in." ~Never Let Me Go, Florence and the Machine_

_**Epilogue**_

"Damon!" Katherine's voice screamed out as she saw Damon's retreating back. Mason's eyes turned to hers making the tension in the room escalate.

"You lied to me didn't you? You deceived me. Used me." Mason said his gaze holding fast to hers. His chest faling up and down with every breath as if cost him great effort to do so.

"Well baby the joke's on you. My daddy cut me off months ago, so if you were looking for a man to sink your teeth into, gold digger, it isn't me."

"What?!" Katherine reeled her voice breaking, and her eyes searching his in disbelief.

"Mason you know that's not the only reason."

"Then what is? You obviously still care for that bastard."

"I…this is your baby!" she said clutching her stomach to emphasize her point.

"Well it sure would've been better to let me know ahead of time that your a lying manipulative bitch."

"Aaaaggg!" Katherine screamed out suddenly, holding her abdomen. She was clearly upset, and clearly going into labor.

"What? Why is there so much water on the floor?" Mason asked dumbfounded all of a sudden.

"Because my water just broke you idiot. I need to go…NOW!" she practically screamed. Other guests hearing the commotion alerted Caroline who rushed in with an unbelieving expression.

"Ok Katherine help is on the way just hold on. Mason, go get your car." She said ushering her through the crowds as Mason exited the room.

Rushing out of the mansion Katherine breathed as best she could through the pain. The pressure was indescribable. Her body was convulsing through contractions as Caroline practically held her up at her sides. She couldn't fathom why she was being nice to her after all she'd put her best friend through but at the moment she was grateful.

Just as Mason's car pulled up thunder roared across the sky. Looking up hesitantly Katherine realized that it was about to downpour all over her. Walking as fast as she could she reached the passenger side door of Mason's safari jump truck and climbed in just as the sky broke open and the rain fell down in sheets from the sky.

Mason waved a thank you to Caroline and floored the pedal. He was about to be a father, and Katherine Pierce was about to give him a son.

* * *

Stefan turned on his windshield wipers as rain poured down onto his car. He was returning to Mystic Falls once more. He'd found what he was looking for, but something inside of him still fought with his inner conscience. He'd been a ruthless spoiled brat to Damon. Somehow he'd told himself at the moment that it was for a good reason. Their mother's death had hurt him in more ways than he cared to admit, and although he knew it didn't excuse his behavior he also knew it was the reason why he'd changed so drastically. Before it had happened he'd been happy. He'd been in love.

Elena.

He still couldn't believe he'd let her go. There were so many regrets he had. So many times he wished he could prove to her he had changed. Which had been the plan until his brother had showed up. His blood had boiled the second he'd caught them locking lips in his brother's office, and he couldn't find it within himself to be forgiving anymore. He fought for her for a while, and told himself he stood a chance. When in reality he knew that no matter how hard he tried Damon would still come find a way to come between them in the end. He'd wrestled with the idea that he should let it go and walk away. To be noble, and let Elena be happy no matter who it was with, but he just couldn't. So he'd gone to the one person he knew could unravel everything Damon held close. Giuseppe Salvatore. The bastard still lived in New York City, and it really hadn't been too hard to find him. It was also quite disturbing meeting the old man. His own father had been ruthless but in his own right. This man could make a nun swear. He was calculating and manipulative, and for the life of him he couldn't understand what had possessed his mother to love him.

At any rate at least they'd struck a deal, and Stefan was now in the process of fulfilling his part of the bargain. He continued accelerating as the rain pelted his windshield and he struggled to see the road before him.

* * *

"Come on Katherine just one more push." Said the doctor squatting in front of Katherine's open legs. She had to admit this moment did seem a little unorthodox. She couldn't explain why, but she felt like it was too soon. The baby wasn't ready, so why was her body. She'd fought to control the labor pains. Fought with all her might to get her son into this world, and before she knew it the pain was gone.

"wahhh wahhh!"

Cries of her little boy echoed through her mind, but her body had gone slack and her sight had gone dark.

"It's a boy! Kahterine? Katherine!" screamed Masons voice, as the doctor asked him to leave the room.

* * *

The rain was coming down harder now. Damon's mouth still covered Elena's in an intense heat, but he decided to pull away when he heard lightning crack across the sky.

"We should probably go."

"No, just give it a second. It'll clear up."

"Elena…" Damon said his voice responding in an amused warning, "We're going to catch our death out here."

"Never," she said, "'Not as long as you're with me."

Damon's heart melted with happiness. He'd never thought he could be so lucky. To have her in his arms was the epitome of a fulfilled life.

Grasping her head in his hands once more he leaned in and satisfied her hunger with a final searing kiss. He felt this kiss, all the way to his toes. Her heartbeat speeding up under his fingertips, and her smile as he pulled away was all he needed to send him over the edge.

"Come on, let's get you out of those wet clothes." He stated smirking at her and insinuating what they both longed for. He'd brought his car and parked it at the side of the road before he found her. Finding her had been easy. He'd known she would go on foot, and he knew exactly why she'd choose the water. It reminded her of better times, and he smiled at the thought. The rain was still coming down and he was holding her hand, dragging her in the direction of his car when it happened.

It happened so fast he could hardly believe it.

One second there were headlights blaring into his eyes. Then blinding pain and the sound of broken glass as his body crashed to the ground.

After that all he heard was Elena crying out his name, and then only darkness.


End file.
